The Clash Between Land and Sea
by Thetwiggy13
Summary: Tony and Alex are star-crossed lovers with opposite backgrounds and have respectively joined rivals Team Aqua, whose intentions favor the seas, and Team Magma, whose goal is to create more land. The two become fierce competitors, but work together in secret. As they realize the dangers their crime syndicates have put themselves in, can Tony and Alex save the whole Hoenn region?
1. Fight or Flight

**Part 1**

_**Anthony**__: Treecko 10_

"Caroline I don't care if you are 'tired,' you know it's your job to clean the dishes!" a familiar voice says.

After that, a _smack!_ can be heard in the kitchen, following that comes a woman's grief.

I open my eyes and get out of bed. My room's a mahogany color, but most rooms in Littleroot Town are. I have one small wooden desk in the corner, a broken bed frame with a mattress in it that has springs sticking out. My floor has some holes in it. My only source of electricity is a small light bulb in my room and a wind-up TV in the corner. I glance around in my closet to find a fresh blue shirt. I go to the floor of the closet for my other clothes.

Once I'm dressed, I head to my bathroom—the only one in the house, and brush my teeth with an old wooden brush and outdated toothpaste. Now, I'm ready for the day. I walk back into my room and sit on the bed. In comes my best friend and Pokémon, my beloved Treecko.

This Treecko was given to me by my mother, who is a breeder at the daycare. She insists that the scars and bruises on her face and arms are from the Pokémon—but I know better.

I take Treecko into the bathroom and scrub him with a rag, cleaning the dirt. It's a peculiar Pokémon. The way its hands are, it can scale buildings and climb walls. Its green complexion helps it blend in with the trees. I smile at my Pokémon, and the two of us, Treecko in my arms, walk out into the living room.

"I'm sorry, honey! I can't do everything…I'm the one that provides for the family. You just sit and watch your fancy television," my mother says, steadying herself on a kitchen chair. The living room is my stepdad's room—he controls the house. He has a nice flat screen TV that he calls his "baby" mounted on the wall. He stares at that thing for hours.

"Are you trying to say something?" he says, getting up. My "father" is a fairly plump man, with a burger always somewhere on his couch-bed.

"I'm trying to say that if you're going to live with me, you need to help this family! Anthony is just thirteen…and I can't do everything for this family!" she cries.

My mother is a beautiful woman, with medium-long brown hair and blue eyes. Her smile is warming, her optimism is always appreciated.

I walk in the room, and upon hearing my name, come beside my mother to confront my stepdad.

"Get out, kid. I don't need you for anything," he says.

"You can't hurt my mother like that. I can't stand how you can just sit there and abuse her! That's it, I'm calling Officer Jenny!" I scream, running to the phone.

"You will do nothing of the sort!" he yells back, tackling me and slamming me hard to the ground.

"Ah! Treecko, use Pound!" I struggle.

Treecko slams its tail against my stepfather's head, and he flips over. I run to my mom's arms, and she begins crying.

"Why did you even marry him…" I ask her.

"I…I don't know, honey," she says, "I honestly don't know."

. . .

_**Alex**__: Oshawott 10_

"...!" I gasp, waking up from my nap. I look over to see my Oshawott still asleep.

"Oshawott, wake up!" I tell my Sea Otter Pokémon.

"Osha?" it says, opening its eyes. The blue-and-white otter is so silly, I can't even get it to wake up!

I sit on my pink bed in my pink pajamas and get a brush to straighten out my metallic blue/gray hair. After several knots, I finally get it up to satisfaction. I step off my giant bed onto a couple of steps, and then get to the floor of my room. I step on the nice brown floor and get up to the mirror. From there, I get ready. Soon I change my clothes into a blue shirt and whitish shorts.

I turn on the television to listen to the new day's news.

"…hahaha, that's right, Jeff! Now for the news: today in Rustboro City our high will be about 85 and our low will be 72. Bright skies for a warm May day!" the weather lady smiles.

I turn it off and run downstairs to the main floor.

"Dad, can I go on my Pokémon adventure now?" I ask him, holding Oshawott.

"Not right now, honey, Daddy's doing some work. Here—have some money!" her father says, handing a stack of $1s to his daughter.

My dad's name is Steven Stone. He is the head of the Devon Corporation, the biggest company since Silph back in Kanto. But Dad has made much better discoveries—for example, he figured out how to let Pokémon use HMs without wasting a move slot. The one thing he hasn't discovered is how to pay attention to his girl. I haven't actually gotten to spend time with him for about five months. Since then, he's basically lived in his study room while I just venture wherever and get the necessities of life.

"You can't just bribe me to leave you alone, Dad," I tell him.

"Well then what do you want?"

"I want to either get attention, or leave," I demand, but not like one of those snobby rich girls—I'd rather be poor to understand the meaning of a dollar rather than getting one for being quiet.

"No, honey. Sorry!" he tells me, with his blue hair not even sticking out right. He has a slight five o'clock shadow now, and he hasn't bathed in days. He's constantly trying to create things.

"Fine," I say, and go back upstairs.

From there, I grab a PokéNav so I can know where I'm going in my journey. I also grab some spare clothes, some Pokémon Food for Oshawott, and five different Pokéballs. I run downstairs with it and Oshawott to give my father one last chance.

"Here, have this," Steven Stone tells me, giving me a heart scale, "and play with it. Look, it's pretty! Daddy is very busy!" he says, and turns back around to his computer.

With that, I take the Heart Scale, shove it in my bag, and run out the door of the mansion. This whole city knows me well, too. Who needs Rustboro?

I go eastward towards Rusturf Tunnel, but something…unexpected happens.

Upon my exit from Rustboro City, an Ursaring comes out of the brush and begins attacking me.

"O-Oshawott! Let's go!" I scream, and the two of us run back into town, where the Pokémon can't attack us.

"Looks like we're stuck," I frown.

"Osha…" my Pokémon replies sadly.

. . .

**Anthony: Treecko 10**

That night I grab an old brown bag and put in supplies I've kept from small trips to the Pokémart. I put in some Potions, five Pokéballs, a wrinkly Town Map, and a flashlight. Treecko puts in some Pokémon Food, and I put in some regular food and a change of clothes. Once it's plump enough, the two of us, Treecko on my shoulder, sneak out of my bedroom.

My parents are both asleep, my stepdad in the living room and my Mom in her bedroom. I leave a note by her pillow, and then I run out of the house. The note read:

_Dear Mom:_

_I know that you love your husband, but I cannot take him anymore. I can't see you get abused. I'm going to go on a journey, and once I have finished it, I will return with the bravery to defeat him. I want you to know that I love you so much that as I write this, I am crying. Be careful, don't' let him hurt you, and I'll try and see you at the Daycare facility sometime in the future. I already miss you, but I know you'll be looking up at the same sky as I am. _

_With love, Tony_

I run out of the house with Treecko onto Route 101, where I begin travelling around Hoenn for a long time.


	2. The Dark Side of Petalburg Woods

**Part 2**

_**Anthony**__: Treecko 11_

"Huff…puff…huff!" I wheeze, walking in the door of the Oldale Pokémon Center. It's a large medical facility/trainer hotel, and it welcomes new trainers for the night.

"Um, yes, I'd like a room here?" I ask the woman at the desk.

"Yes sir! We will get you a room on the second floor. The whole hotel is booked but one room, and it's a cramped one. I hope you don't mind," the person informs me.

"That's fine, I'm used to it. Thank you Miss…" I say, squinting to read her name tag.

"Oh, I'm Nurse Joy. I run both the hotel and the hospital in this one building. It's a lot of work, but I have my Pokémon to help me! Now, sometime within the morning I will send a Pokémon in to cater you some food and nourishment. Thank you and have a good night!" she smiles, and her pink hair bounces as she speaks.

I bid her goodnight and I take myself and Treecko up the elevator. I look at the room one last time as the doors close. It's a yellowish room with a door in the back for the Pokémon hospital. Still better than my house in Littleroot Town.

. . .

_**Alex**__: Oshawott 11_

"Oshawott, I still see it!" I scream to my Sea Otter Pokémon. We speed towards the Rustboro Gym and I trip over a stone and fall against the door of the gym. Oshawott hobbles behind me.

I turn around to see a dark shadow of a bear in the moonlight, one so frightening that I scream loudly so that I can be saved.

"Oshawott, try using Water Gun!" I suggest.

Oshawott squirts a beam of water at the shadow, but it barely flinches.

Ursaring reveals itself from the shadows and rears back, preparing its claws, for an ultimate strike for those who trespassed through its territory.

"It's using Slash!" I scream, grabbing Oshawott and crouching against the door.

"Dwebble, use a Protect and X-Scissor combo!" a voice yells from my right. I peek out to see a brown-haired woman commanding a hermit crab.

The orange crab protects Oshawott and I from the Ursaring's attack, and then it slams an X-shaped attack against the bear—knocking it away and it runs back toward the woods.

"You…you saved me," I say, bewildered.

"That's what Gym Leaders are for," the girl smiles.

"I'm Roxanne, the teacher here at the Pokémon School. Come in, we have a night session," she offers me, and I accept.

Oshawott and I go into the building of the gym. It's apparently also a trainer school.

"Here, come sit and I'll lecture you. The two who pass the final test battle one another, and then I battle the winner!"

I put Oshawott in a chair, grab one of my own, and begin writing down notes. I am going to win this. Looks like I'm pulling an all-nighter.

. . .

_**Anthony: **__Treecko 11_

I wake up in the middle of the night and throw on some clothes. I sling my book bag on me, grab Treecko and heave him over my shoulder, and go down the elevator. I can't stay here; my stepfather probably already knows I'm going. Time to go.

I run through Route 103 and run from some Wingull, but it's a dead end and I turn back. Upon turning left of Oldale, Treecko wakes up.

"Perfect, I can level it up more now!" I say, and I tell him what's happened.

"Treecko?" it asks, tilting its head. I figure it's asking if my mom knows we've left.

"Not sure, but come on!"

We run through Route 102 and get stopped by a young kid.

"I want to battle now!" he says, eyes drooping but still energetic.

"Okay, sure!"

"Go, Lillipup!" he says, sending out a Puppy Pokémon. The brown dog stands proudly in front of its trainer.

"Treecko, I choose you!" I say, allowing Treecko to jump on the field.

Treecko then uses a different move from what I've known—Dig. It burrows in the ground while Lillipup misses its Tackle attack. I guess that's how Treecko would live within the floorboards of my room—he dug into a hole and make a home.

"Treecko, now!" I yell.

Treecko pops up from the dirt and slams into Lillipup in a critical hit. It knocks the trainer's Pokémon right out.

"…!" the boy says, recalling his puppy and running back to Oldale Town.

It's still dark out, but I would say it's about 3 am. I keep running, holding Treecko in my arms, until I finally reach Petalburg City. From there, I decide to just sleep for the night.

"Hello, and welcome to the Pokémon Center!" the familiar nurse says.

"Weren't you in…?" I begin.

"Oldale Town? Oh, no. That's my sister. I run the Petalburg Pokémon Center!" she smiles, trying to explain.

I finally ask her if I can get a hotel room for the rest of the night, and she gladly accepts. As Treecko and I go up the elevator, I can't resist wondering if those women ever get any sleep. I'd be tired after so long of helping every day. I'm no hero, though. I'm just a poor kid.

. . .

_**Alex**__: Oshawott 11_

"…and that's why Potions are more useful than Oran Berries in some ways, and Oran Berries better in others!" Roxanne explains.

"Now, you all first have to take a test, and the final two participants battle to fight me!" she finishes.

I rush through the test as fast as I can. Potions recover 20 HP. Full Heals cure a Pokémon of its status ailment. A Great Ball is stronger than a Pokéball. Stuff like that is way too easy for me, I was taught that years ago!

"Now everyone turn in your tests!"

I tell Oshawott to stay there, and go to turn in my test. I come back crossing my fingers.

"Let's see…Derek got a 90, Susan got an 85, Logan got a…uh…50, Alex got a 100, and Steven got a 100! Alex and Steven, you two are to battle now!" she screams.

Steven?! My father?! I look around to see the person named Steven. It's just a little boy with a bad nose cold. Phew, I thought it was my father. He still doesn't know I ran off. Although I guess it's not running off if I'm just a couple of houses down.

"Go, Sewaddle! Come on out!" the boy says, sending out his Sewing Pokémon. It's a wormy thing with a leaves at the base of its head.

"Oshawott, you're all I've got!" I rhyme.

"Sewaddle, use Razor Leaf!"

Oshawott is pelted with several sharply-pointed leaves, and moves back a little.

"Oshawott, use your Egg Move! Air Slash!" I excitedly yell.

Oshawott throws its scalchop into the air, and then it slices the air into a blade, which slams into Sewaddle and knocks it out in one hit!

"Nice job, Oshawott!" I say happily as it hops into my arms.

"Congratulations, Alex. Now you can battle me!" Roxanne says, and she gets her Dwebble at the ready. The whole class takes notes—and I start to lose it.

. . .

_In Oldale Town_

"I need the whole town questioned for the whereabouts of that child!" Officer Jenny says to five other Officer Jennys in the area.

"Yes sir!" they all say to her, and she dismisses the error. Whatever.

"I want that kid back!" Tony's stepfather yells.

"Honey, maybe he should be allowed to leave on his own…he _is_ a teenager," Tony's mom replies back.

One Officer Jenny says she found someone who's seen the boy, and the man points left—right in the direction Tony is.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 12_

I hear sirens to my right; it sounds like in Oldale Town there is the police stationed. They must be searching for me. I get dressed, grab my bag and Treecko, and run out of the Pokémon Center all the way to the left of Petalburg. We go onto Route 104 and come across an empty cottage. Suddenly, a Wingull pops up and begins pecking at Treecko.

"Treecko, use Pound!" I command.

Treecko, however, uses a new move—one that makes him go faster and behind him is a trail of white. It's Quick Attack! Wingull is smashed aside, and it flies away in fear.

"Let's go, Treecko. We have no time to hide," I inform it, and we run past the cottage and into the Petalburg Woods.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 12_

The field is a rocky environment suiting to Roxanne's Rock-type specialization. There are small boulders around, perfect to hide behind.

"Oshawott, use Water Gun!" I command my Sea Otter Pokémon.

"Dodge it, Dwebble! Use X-Scissor!" Roxanne retaliates. The both of us stare one another down. It's on.

"Oshawott, dodge it and use Water Gun again!" I strike back.

Oshawott narrowly misses the X-Scissor, and blasts a beam of water at Dwebble—knocking it down to Sturdy. Sturdy is an ability that prohibits a Pokémon from dying while at full HP because of only one attack.

"Dwebble, use Rock Blast!" she screams.

Dwebble launches several rocks from its shell, and they all speed toward Oshawott.

"Oshawott, dodge them!"

Oshawott dances among the rocks, hopping onto one and jumping over another—this keeps up for three turns.

"Now! Use Sand Attack!"

Dwebble kicks dirt into the air, ruining Oshawott's eyesight and accuracy.

"Oshawott, focus and use Tackle!" I scream into the dirt, coughing. The whole class begins taking more notes.

As the dirt lifts, Oshawott slams into Dwebble and knocks it out.

"Looks like your Pokémon's sand failed!" I laugh.

"I still have one more Pokémon. By the looks of it, you do not," Roxanne smiles.

The class laughs, and then takes more notes. Nerds.

"Go, Nosepass!"

A giant rock with a nose gazes down upon Oshawott. My otter gulps.

. . .

_**Tony**__: Treecko 12_

Treecko and I search through the woods for something. Suddenly, a Spinarak comes out from above the trees. I scream and run with Treecko over to a small child. He warns me that there are scary people out in the dark, and that there is a Pokémon in distress. He gives me an Antidote and runs off.

Treecko battles and defeats a Shroomish single-handedly, and we march on. Soon, we hear something in the bushes. It's a Nincada crying for help!

. . .

_**Alex**__: Oshawott 12_

"Nosepass, use Spark!" Roxanne says.

Nosepass electrocutes Oshawott, and my Sea Otter goes down without a fight.

"…!" I wheeze, and pick up my Pokémon.

"It seems that you just aren't strong enough. You'll have to try again after defeating my class's knowledge. Good luck next time. Take notes on that, class! That's a wrap!" Roxanne says, and pushes me out the door.

I run to the Pokémon Center and heal Oshawott. I decide to go home. The two of us run back to our mansion on the side of Rustboro, and I enter the house to find my father.

"Daddy?" I cry, sniveling.

The house is vacant. Not a note, a voicemail, an email, nothing! He abandoned me! I'm steaming mad and run out of the house depressed. I decide to go south.

Oshawott and I skip the next route, running through a secret passage and enter straight into the Petalburg Woods. From there, I decide to find something to do.

Oshawott and I fight off a few Wurmple, and then we find this vibrating bush.

"Ninca!" the bush says.

"It sounds like a Nincada that's upset. Let's help it," I suggest, and Oshawott comes with. The trees above are so high, though, they block the sun, so it's nearly dark out during the morning. I'm so tired.

"Nincada?" I ask. I begin to peer through the bush.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 13_

I push the brush aside and look through.

_Bump! _I hit something hard with my head.

"Hey, watch it!" a voice comes from the bumping object.

"You started it!" I fight back, seething with rage.

I look up to see the most sorrowful, upset eyes ever. Silver-blue, they sparkle from her crying and seem alone. She's so…amazing.

"I…uh…um…hi," I decide to start off with.

She must have thought the same about me.

"Uh…yeah…hi…uh," she mumbles.

It's as if love at first sight has kicked in or something—not that I believe in it. Her Oshawott stares my Treecko down, and we both just look hopeful at one another.

"I'm…Tony," I tell her.

"Alex…Alex Stone!" she replies.

"So, Alex Stone, what do you…" I begin, but we're interrupted by something large.

"UURSSSAAAA!" a Pokémon roars from above.

The Nincada we were trying to save runs off crying.

"It's the Ursaring! Oshawott, let's go this way!" she screams, grabbing her Pokémon and running from where she came.

"Treecko, we'll follow Nincada! Let's go!" I concur, grabbing my Pokémon as well and sprinting away.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 13_

Oshawott and I sprint back towards the entrance, but I hear something in the bushes. We run to see that a tree has fallen over it—probably by the Ursaring. Not caring about the small tree I can cut, I hop over it with Oshawott and keep running.

"Woop!" I scream as I trip over a small ledge.

"Houndour!" a Pokémon growls from above my head, and as I look up, two red-uniformed men look up at me with a red glare in their eyes.

"Houndour, use Fire Fang. This pesky girl is in our way," one man laughs.

"Make it use Beat up. I've got strong Pokémon!" the other smiles.

"P-please," I struggle, trying to get up.

"Houndour, I said use Fi—" the man is interrupted.

"Hands off the girl!" a voice comes from somewhere.

"Yessir!" the two men say abruptly together.

I'm still looking down.

"Are you hurt?"

"No…I was going to be," I whimper.

I'm picked up to my feet by the man and get to see him face to…chest. He's kind of tall.

"I'm Maxie of Team Magma. Sorry for my underlings' behavior. Enough of myself, what are your origins?" the man asks, his red hair blowing in the wind.

"I'm…uh…an orphan!" I lie, sounding to happy in the end of the sentence.

"I'm…sorry? Well if you have nowhere to go, you're welcome to join us. Team Magma does some things that aren't very good though—if you get caught, you may get in trouble. Be careful with your decision, but we're short a member," he smiles, suggesting a nice face.

I think of my father, whose neglect of me caused all of this. I think of "Tony," the guy I just met, and I think of Oshawott, who is cold and hungry. Maybe they can offer us a home and a life.

"Sure!" I say, and then I'm taken out of the woods and into a small boat at the side of the dock. Eventually I'm moved out into an unknown location in the sea, and enter a small base—however it's dark, so I'm unable to see anything but a red door.

. . .

_**Anthony: **__Treecko 13_

"Treecko, come on! Faster! It's gaining on us!" I scream, and I sling Treecko over my shoulder so it can attack the Ursaring from behind. It keeps following us, getting in closer and closer.

"Treecko, Bullet Seed!" I say, telling my Treecko to use its Egg Move. I'm so glad it knows this, it's saved my countless times.

"Oof!" I thump into a bush as the Ursaring comes from behind. One of the Bullet Seeds went in its eye, though, so it can't see very well.

"Go, Pokéball!" comes a voice from somewhere. I look around, but all I see is a red-outlined Ursaring and a Pokéball capturing it.

A man and two other men come in and swarm the area, catching Pokémon left and right.

The larger man confronts me. "I'm sorry, did you want this Ursaring? You can have it if you want. Your Treecko's power was amazing at such a level compared to this level thirty…four Ursaring," he says, looking at the Ursaring's information through a Pokédex.

"Oh, no. You caught it fair and square. It was open game. I'm just trying to find a place where I belong," I say pitifully.

"Oh, really? Good man! If you need, you can stay with me. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Archie, the Team Aqua Boss! We dream of saving the sea, and expanding it to greater amounts! We do things we aren't proud of, but we're a better team than that pathetic Team Magma. Would you like to join?" Archie says eagerly. He has a blue little hat-like thing on his head with a weird symbol, and cool-looking facial hair. He seems like a decent guy.

"Sure. Better than nothing!" I smile, and pick up Treecko. Mom may not be proud, but my stomach will be!

Archie signals up to the sky and a helicopter comes down into a small clearing from the trees. I hop aboard with the grunts and Archie, and then we fly over to an island area west of the empty cabin by the sea. All I can see now is ocean. Wonderful.


	3. First Assignments

**Part 3**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 14_

"No!" I scream, waking up from a nightmare. Now I can't even remember what that dream was about. I look around, and can't recognize my surroundings. I'm in a room without windows. It has a bed, desk, table, and a healing center. I find Oshawott hiding underneath the covers asleep.

That boy in the forest—Tony, right?—he seems legitimately into me. Although I don't have time for anything now that I'm part of Team Magma. The guy can just go on without me. Not the first time I've been given looks. Although there was just something about him…

Oh well. I get ready for the day and wake Oshawott up.

_Knock knock!_

"Uh, come in!" I yell to the metal door. The clock says it's 8:30am.

Maxie enters my room with a warm smile and a tray filled with pancakes. Woo.

"Did you sleep alright?" he asks nicely.

"Yes, I did!" I tell him.

"That's good. So you're serious about joining Team Magma?" he repeats from last night.

"Yes, my mind hasn't changed," I inform.

"Well let me just warn you. We try to bring more land for the world and less water. Team Aqua is more evil than we are, though. I wouldn't even call us evil. I just want more room for us to walk on and raise Pokémon, while those jerks over there just want more water to kill off Pokémon! Anyway, I will inform you that we have some tendencies to do bad things, but those are just minor setbacks and instructions are given by a Magma Admin. Is that understood? You still want to stay?" he asks again, still unsure if I'm willing to join.

My father wouldn't agree with me joining Team Magma. I look at Oshawott, but it has started dozing again. I think about what I should do…but I have nowhere to go and no way to support myself at all. So I guess my only choice is…

"I'm in," I whisper, and Maxie pats me on the back.

"That's great! We'll have you fitted for a uniform first thing. Enjoy your breakfast! And you are now an honorary Team Magma Grunt!" he tells me, walking out the door.

"Oh!" he says, coming back in.

"What?" I ask.

"Here are five Pokéballs. One of them has a…surprise. Read the note attached to it!" he runs out of the room and down the hallway. I haven't even investigated this place—and its location.

I look at the five balls. I open all of them—and four of them are empty. The last one, however, sends out a new Pokémon.

"Houndour!" the Pokémon growls.

"Oh! I get it!" I laugh, and pet the dog. It smiles at me automatically.

I pick the note off of its back and read it.

"_Alex, this Pokéball contains a nice Pokémon—Houndour. All Magma Grunts are required to have a fire-type or ground-type on their team, and I thought this Pokémon would be perfect. Take good care of it. Thanks! –Maxie"_

"Okay, Houndour, return!" I smile, and send Houndour back into its Pokéball. This might just be a good day.

A few other grunts come in and get my measurements for a uniform. Apparently they had to stitch a lot of it up to make it fit. Figures.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 14_

I wake up to see Treecko crawling around my room. I look around it—I don't even remember coming in the building.

Apparently we're under water. Below me is a window-like see through area at the floor; I can see water Pokémon swimming around under me. I look out a porthole to see a Wailord slowly go by.

I find a pair of clothes for me—they must have checked the sizes for my clothing last night or something. It's a uniform. I wait to put it on until Archie comes in the room. Treecko looks at me peculiarly.

"Okay, Treecko, I'll go get you an Oran Berry!" I laugh, rummaging through my pack for some food. I find a blue berry a throw it at Treecko, who grabs it and eats fast.

_Knock knock!_

"Come in!" I yell.

A familiar figure comes in—it's Archie!

"I hope you don't mind," he says, "but I've brought you some breakfast!"

Archie is in a blue uniform similar to mine, and his facial hair makes him look both ebullient yet menacing in the wrong eyes. He brings me some bacon, eggs, and biscuits & gravy. Ahh, my favorite breakfast.

"Don't ask where the bacon and eggs came from," he says, laughing. I laugh too. Then I look at my food weirdly.

As I eat and he sits on my bed by me, I think of the girl I met in the woods—Alex, right? She was amazing, but I don't have time for that anymore. I need to focus on Team Aqua.

"So you are willing to join Team Aqua? Like I said last night, there are some things we do that we aren't proud of. But they have to be done. Team Magma wants to expand the land and kill the creatures of the sea! We want to create an even more vast landscape for the ocean and water-type Pokémon, so they can live in harmony! We're able to house ourselves underwater, so what's the hurt?"

I listen to what he says and I have to agree. Hoenn is mostly water anyways—why not the rest of the regions?

"We try and counter the actions of Team Magma," he continues, pounding his hands on the bed.

"Those people have ruined the water-types, polluting the water and capturing them just to put them in caged pools. They are the true evil around here, not us!"

"So what bad acts do you guys commit?" I ask him curiously.

"Well, I hate to admit it, but Team Aqua does have to steal. Mainly it's against Team Magma. It's rare that we do it to innocent bystanders. Some, however, are prone to get in the way," Archie tells me.

"Well thank you for being honest. You're only the second person I know who's honesty is evident," I compliment him. It's true, though. Only my mom has told me the truth more than any small lie.

"So…?" he asks me.

"I'm in. I have nowhere else to go!"

"Thanks for joining. I will be right back with the last bit of what you need," he says, and walks out.

I eat my breakfast while Treecko continues eating its berries. Apparently he's just been munching away the whole time. Go figure.

_Knock knock!_

"Come in?" I repeat, feeling a 'déjà-vu' moment.

Archie comes in with a brand new bag. It's aqua blue and has the Team Aqua symbol on it. The symbol is white and has two small bone-like ends coming out of the bottom of it, with a roundish middle sloping up to a point at the top. I look inside and there are five Pokéballs inside, with an upgraded PokéNav, some potions, and a small little twig is at the bottom of the bag.

"What's all this?"

"Well the PokéNav is so you don't get lost, the small twig is for your Treecko to have in its mouth—it just seems right. The Pokéballs are yours to keep for catching Pokémon. One of them has the standard water-type Pokémon we require in there. It's sort of mandatory since it's Team Aqua, and Aqua refers to water," he explains.

I fish for the Pokéball with the Pokémon in it and I send out the heaviest one.

"Go, Pokéball!" I say, throwing it into the air.

A small, orange crablike Pokémon comes out of the Pokéball. It has three sets of little legs and one large set of pincers. The Pokémon looks fierce and determined.

"Corphish!" it screams, and then snaps its pincers on my legs.

"O…w…OW OW OW!" I begin screaming, running around the room.

"Corphish, return!" Archie says, grabbing the Pokéball on the bed and returning my new Pokémon.

"I'm so sorry, Corphish has been one of my prized Pokémon. I hatched its egg a while back and was saving it for the right person. Last night I told him I found the one, and he began going crazy. I'm not sure whether or not he wants to evolve, though. You may have to talk him into it. It's the Ruffian Pokémon, by the way. It likes to fight and isn't afraid to do so. This Pokémon is probably about level 10-12ish, and I know the moves it has are Bubble, Metal Claw, ViceGrip, and Harden!" Archie says, beginning a long speech of this Pokémon.

"Thanks! Since it's so attached to me I'd be glad to have it on my team!" I smile, and empty out my new bag.

"Wonderful! Now, I have to deal with some issues in Oldale Town regarding the police (I shudder when he says that) and I will tell you your first mission later. You can explore if you'd like!" he says, and walks out the door.

I put my old bag under my blue bed—I can't get rid of it. I give Treecko the twig, and the Pokémon sticks it in his mouth and begins looking into the glass for his reflection. My mom bought it for me. I open the new bag to find one more thing in the very bottom. It's a small blue necklace with a tiny engraving on it. "Mystic Water" is what it says. I slip it in the side pocket, where the drinks usually go, and throw it over my shoulder. I double-check to make sure Corphish is in my bag's Pokéball pocket, and then pick Treecko up and set it on my shoulder. The three of us venture outside my undersea room to see what lies beyond.

. . .

_**Alex**__: Oshawott 14 Houndour 11_

After everything is finished and I'm finally free of measurements, I slip out and find Maxie talking to two grunts outside my door.

"Just give her the new bag, please? Ugh, I hope you grunts learn a thing or two from that girl—she's something special!"

Then the two people begin walking towards me. I don't want to be caught eavesdropping so I run back to my room, and then one throws the red Magma bag onto my bed and slams the door.

"Thanks," I mumble harshly, and put Oshawott inside it. He sticks his head out.

Now we explore. I find one room filled with bunk beds. Apparently all the other grunts all live in a select few rooms. Oshawott and I run around and find this one Magma Grunt all alone. She seems upset.

"Um…hi," I say, trying to make conversation.

The girl looks up. She has brownish hair and a warm smile. She seems battered, as if she's homeless. I feel guilty being in the same group with the opposite conditions.

"Hi! I'm Terra. I'm kind of new here so if this is your bed I'll move—" she apologizes.

"No no no! I live in another room. I'm just as new as you are probably. I'm Alex, nice to meet you!" I say. I realize that I had slipped my Magma uniform on, so the two of us match.

"Tomorrow, after our first mission, do you mind helping me train? I have some Pokémon that aren't very strong right now, and I'd like to change that," she says shyly.

"Sure! I'm not sure what my mission is yet. I'm looking forward to it, though. I can't wait to serve under Team Magma!" I yell.

The two of us talk about how we joined, and eventually I decide to go back into my room.

Maxie comes in without knocking and calls for my name. I jump to attention to listen to what he has to say.

"Your mission for tomorrow is to go to the Rustboro Gym and steal a bunch of her badges so that way a lot of our weaker grunts can start off better. It may sound cruel, but it's at a reasonable expense!" Maxie tells me, then runs out of the room abruptly. Wow.

I realize that it's dinner time. I decide just to grab a pre-made sandwich from my bag (I made them a night before leaving) and eat that. Oshawott eats an Oran Berry. The two of us sit on the bed and think of what could possibly go right…or wrong.

_**Tony: **__Treecko 14 Corphish 11_

I eventually run into this one guy about my age who I must admit is pretty cool.

"Hi, I'm Sean. I'm a newbie but maybe we can be friends?" he asks. His smooth gray hair and blue eyes light up with excitement.

"Sure. Do you know what we're doing tomorrow?" I ask.

Suddenly, I look up to hear a microphone being tapped. From the speakers I can tell that above me is another floor—and I'm right. On this second floor of an undersea vessel, Archie stands proudly amongst roughly one-thousand grunts.

"Dear Team Aqua! How far we have come! Now, however, we must start from scratch. I would like a small group of new grunts to explore Rustboro City and get Roxanne's Gym Badge. Furthermore, I would like Anthony, a new grunt, to follow a band of more experienced ones in a raid on the Devon Corporation—they have new technology they are withholding from us. Steven is temporarily away, and I would really like this technology! That is all, thank you," he says, and walks off.

Everyone stares at me because my name was called above all the others. I kind of step back a little, and then slowly walk back to my room so people don't get mad at me for being a "suck-up" or whatever.

"Hey, maybe we'll work together tomorrow," Sean says as he runs up beside me. I reach my door and stop.

"Yeah, maybe. Well good night, I'm heading to bed," I say, and, once he replies, I shut the door and get ready for bed.

I may not be the most of honest of people…or the most loyal or anything, but it is still going to be hard robbing the biggest corporation of its new equipment. That's just the life of an Aqua Grunt.


	4. This Gym Really Rocks!

**Part 4**

_**Tony: **__Treecko 14 Corphish 11_

I wake up in my room to see Treecko putting the twig in its mouth, and Corphish fiddling with the mystic water.

"What are you two doing?" I laugh, getting out of bed.

"Treecko!"

"Phish Corphish!"

I change into my new Team Aqua outfit, and then put some items in my bag. I slip it on and look at myself in the mirror. A black-and-white striped shirt with blue pants. The pants have a white pattern on the sides. I wear my blue bandana with the funny-looking Aqua Logo.

I check my new PokéNav. Archie gave me an updated one last night—the first impressive bit of technology I've really had. It shows Archie calling me.

"Um, hello?" I say into the phone.

"Yes, Tony? I need you to defeat the Rustboro Gym. Roxanne is also a Pokémon School teacher. The real prize is after you beat her. I want you to go with Sean and Matt, an Aqua Admin, to infiltrate the Devon Corporation and get some test tubes! Thank you and good luck!" he says, and then the screen shuts off.

I recall Corphish and Treecko hops on my shoulder, and the two of us head to the escape pod room to find an older man and Sean waiting for me.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 14 Houndour 11_

I finish eating my breakfast and then call Maxie. I've already changed and everything, ready to go. Houndour is groomed and Oshawott has trained a while. I recall Houndour and put Oshawott in my arms. After Roxanne, I don't even want to participate in Gym Battles anymore.

"Hello? OH! I almost forgot. You and Terra need to go snag some badges for the new coming grunts. I want them to be able to start fast. You can take some, if you would like. I just need a big bag of them! Thanks!" he says.

"So much for invading somewhere," I sigh, and slump on the bed.

"Hello?" a familiar voice says from behind the door.

I shove a piece of bacon in my mouth and open the door.

"Hfhgh!" I mumble, food in my mouth.

"What? Alex, let's get going!" Terra says, and grabs my arm. We run outside the secret base and I see that it is located on a secret island.

"Come on! We can get a speedboat at the dock!" she says, pulling my arm more.

We board the boat and speed to the shore near Petalburg City.

"Oops, looks like we have to go through the woods. Oh well, you've done it before! Right?" she speed-talks. The two of us run through the forest and I encounter the cutest thing ever!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 14 Corphish 11_

"You must be the greenhorn. I'm Matt, nice to meet ya," a cool man says. His pointy, light-colored hair shines with gel.

"You know," Sean says, "I've been waiting here for three hours!"

It's way too early for his enthusiasm—it's not even 10 am yet. A drop of sweat rolls down the back of my head.

"Whatever. Hop in this porthole, there's a submarine through it. Hurry, I don't have the time to wait for you noobs," Matt sneers.

Treecko and I jump through a hole in the side of the room and slip down a slide—into a submarine. Sean comes behind me and falls flat on his face. Matt slides in casually and makes an excellent landing.

"Buckle up, we're going for a fun ride," Matt says, and smiles. Treecko hides behind me, and I hop in a seat and buckle up, holding him in my arms. Sean stands in the back.

"I warned ya!"

We blast through the water at lightning speed, so bad that my cheeks get filled with air and fly behind me. Treecko begins slipping from my arms, and I have to regain my grip on him.

Sean flies to the back wall and slams into it, and then yells that he's okay. He crawls forward and holds onto the base of a seat. What a character.

Soon enough, we stop.

"Okay, this is your stop Tony. Hurry up and beat the girl. Sean and I will wait for you at Devon. Make sure to snag a lab coat from somewhere," he whispers casually.

"Y-yeah! And don't forget to rob someone!" Sean screams out loud, causing people to stare at him awkwardly.

"Shut up, moron! We're in public! We may be at port, but these people are in fact scared of us. So we need to lay low and wait it out!"

"Sorry..."

I leave the two of them and run to the Pokémon School-Gym. Whatever the outcome, I'm getting a badge.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 14 Houndour 11_

Terra and I enter the Petalburg woods and I find something amazing.

"What is that?!"

"Don't you have a Pokédex?" she asks me.

"Nope, sorry. My father always has his nose in a cave or a computer!" I tell her.

"This is a red worm Pokémon. It has needles as its feet and two blobs for its mouth. You have no idea what this is?"

"Nope, Terra. But I know there are two of them! And I want one!" I address, seeing the two of the Pokémon conversing.

"That's a Wurmple. Don't waste your time," Terra says, dismissing the Pokémon.

"The more we catch, the stronger we'll be. Come on, give it a shot!"

"Well, fine," she utters.

"Oshawott, go!" I cry and throw my Sea Otter Pokémon into the air.

"Water Gun!" I command, and the Wurmple thing slams into a tree.

"Go, Pokéball!"

I throw a classic Pokéball at the Wurmple and catch it easily.

"What does it evolve into?"

"Well I know it can evolve into a Dustox. Those are okay, I guess. I'm not familiar with the Pokémon," she says, and sends out her Pokémon. I haven't seen one of hers.

"Go, Sandshrew!"

A light brown Pokémon comes out and uses Rollout on the Wurmple, instantly knocking it out.

"Go, Pokéball!"

She throws a regular Pokéball and catches it easily as well.

"See? No big deal," she smiles, and we continue on.

"No, I want to train mine. A Dustox would be cool to have," I sigh.

I look at my PokéNav, the updated version I got the other day from Maxie, and see the stats of Wurmple.

"_Wurmple, the Worm Pokémon. __Often targeted by bird Pokémon, it desperately resists by releasing poison from its tail spikes. This Wurmple is at level 3 and knows the moves Tackle and String Shot!" _a feminine voice emits from the PokéNav.

"So that's where the Pokédex part is! Oh!" I say, bewildered.

I let Oshawott walk since I'm carrying Wurmple.

"You love that thing, huh?" Terra smiles.

"Yeah, it's so cute!"

We finally exit the Petalburg Woods and enter Rustboro City.

"I can't wait for the Pokémon Contests!" one little kid says.

"I know, they're so much better than Gym Battles. So beautiful!" another cries.

I walk up to them.

"Excuse me? What is a Pokémon Contest?" I ask.

The kids seem scared from my outfit, but one musters up the courage to tell me.

"Well, ma'am, a Pokémon Contest is where Pokémon are judged by beauty and grace rather than power and level. Anything goes! If you get about five ribbons, which means winning five contests, you get to participate in the Grand Festival! The next contest is in Slateport City!"

"That is exciting…" I trail off, and then Terra pulls me over to the Rustboro Gym. We go to the back of the building and wait for the perfect time to break in. However, I grew patient and had Wurmple use String Shot to use as a rope. I climb up the string and get onto the roof. From there, I wait.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 14 Corphish 11_

Roxanne let me in the Pokémon School no problem. She said that she could tell I have just been looking for a job, but she informed me of Team Aqua's evilness. She's been teaching a long lecture, and presently I am finishing up the test.

"Treecko, go put that up on the desk for me!" I ask my Pokémon, and it smiles and takes it to the desk.

Then we wait as she tallies up the grades.

"Well there wasn't even a tie this time, Anthony got a 100. The next highest grade was a C-. You kids need to do better!" Roxanne scolds her students.

She takes me to a room beside the classroom.

"Can I videotape this performance? I want my kids to see a real-life battle," Roxanne asks nicely.

"Uh…I guess," I frown. I don't want to be embarrassed.

"Great!"

The field is rocky everywhere. She sends out her first Pokémon.

"Go, Geodude!" she yells.

Geodude comes out with a thumb on the ground. It automatically begins using Rollout, knocking itself back and forth between the boulders—like pinball or something.

"Go, Corphish!" I say, sending out my Ruffian Pokémon. Corphish comes out, but then grabs my lags with its pincers and causes me to thrash about, knocking it onto the battlefield.

"Phish!"

"Rollout!"

Geodude circles my orange-ish crab, and Corphish turns around several times, watching the Pokémon.

I think silently to myself as Geodude attacks Corphish, who dodges excellently. How can I slow the thing down? If I break the boulders, it can use Rock Throw. So what if I—oh!

"Corphish, hop on a boulder and use Bubble on the ground!"

Corphish stares blankly, then hops on a boulder. From its pincers, Corphish begins wetting the ground with mere bubbles.

"That's not going to work, you know!" Roxanne smirks, and Geodude uses Magnitude, breaking the boulder Corphish was on and causing my Ruffian Pokémon to land on the ground.

"Now, Corphish! Use Metal Claw!"

Corphish's claw becomes strong like steel, and it slams Geodude into the mud.

"Rollout!"

Geodude begins spinning violently in the space it is in.

"Wh-what?!"

"Geo? Geodude!" it frustratingly lashes at the ground. It's stuck!

"Yes! Now Corphish, use Bubble while you have the chance!"

Corphish defeats Geodude with a Bubble attack, knocking it out and sending it back in its Pokéball.

"Pretty good for a novice, but luck is the only reason why you're so far! Go, Nosepass!" she says.

Wow. Some big blue thing with a red nose stares at Corphish. I burst out laughing as it launches a commanded Zap Cannon right at Corphish.

"Phish.." it says, fainting.

Oh. My bad.

"Thanks for your help, Corphish!" I say to the Pokéball, and strap it back on my belt.

"Let's go, Treecko!" I tell Treecko, allowing it to battle.

I find on my PokéNav the updated Pokédex. I see what Nosepass really is.

"_Nosepass, the Compass Pokémon. Its magnetic nose always faces____north and draws iron objects to its body to protect itself better."_

Not much help, but good enough I suppose.

"Nosepass, use Lock On!"

The Compass Pokémon locks its aim at Treecko, who stands scared beside a boulder.

"Treecko, get behind that boulder!"

Treecko hides behind the rock just as it explodes from a Zap Cannon. I think about how I could possibly defeat this powerhouse. Wait! '_Its magnetic nose always faces north!' _That's it!

"Treecko, get behind Nosepass and hit it with a Bullet Seed attack!"

Treecko slides through the mud behind Nosepass, and the Pokémon can't turn around as it points north.

"Now! Use Bullet Seed now!"

My Pokémon uses the attack, and after several rounds, Nosepass finally goes down.

"I must admit, I've never had a trainer actually use the Pokédex information against me!" Roxanne laughs, and throws me a badge.

"Thanks!"

"That's the Stone Badge! Thanks for the battle. Now get going, you're worrying me with that costume!" she laughs. How can people even stand me right now?

I walk out of the gym and find Matt and Sean waiting for me.

"Did ya get it?" Matt asks, leaning up against the door.

"Yep, easy! Now let me go heal," I say, and run to the Pokémon Center before Sean says anything else.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 14 Houndour 11 Wurmple 5_

"Now Houndour, use Ember on the roof!" I command.

Houndour burns a hole in the roof, and I use Wurmple's String Shot to climb down and get into the storage room. Terra stays guard up top.

I hear a familiar male voice commanding his Pokémon, and figure it's just some battle or something with Roxanne. I look for the badges.

"Where would you hide a bunch of badges?" I ask myself quietly. Then I find a small stone jewelry box.

"Badges" is the label on the box, and I open it to find a bunch of Stone Badges in it. I grab a fistful and stuff them in my red coat pocket. I tug on the String Shot once I have succeeded, and I'm raised up to the rooftop.

"Easy enough?" Terra asks, and I nod. We then use Wurmple to get down. This Pokémon will catch up in no time!

"Hey, you can't do that!" a blue-haired woman in an officer suit says.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"I'm Officer Jenny, Team Magma! Who do you think you are, stealing Gym Badges?"

"Who are we?" I smile.

"Prepare for trou—" I begin.

Terra shakes me.

"Wrong group," she sighs. The two of us then make a break for it, before I'm discovered as my true identity. The two of us run back into the Petalburg Woods, and just as we find a hiding spot, I hear something. It's three different police cars. One coming right for me!

"Welp, that was a nice day," Terra sighs, and slumps against a tree trunk.

"Stay low, and don't say words like 'welp.' Seriously, not cool," I laugh, and we duck behind some bushes as we slowly roll our way out.

"Gotcha!" a voice whispers from behind. Uh oh.


	5. When in doubt, Surskit out!

**Part 5**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 15 Houndour 12 Wurmple 5_

"Gotcha!" a voice whispers from behind.

Terra and I whip around to see a Magma Admin staring back at us. Oshawott has been staring at him the whole time.

"Who're—?"

"Shut up or get sent to jail! Your choice, princess!"

Princess…my dad used to call me that.

The Magma Admin had black hair and was strongly built—but was young still. He basically picks us up and carries us through the woods and out to a small cabin by the sea. Oshawott runs beside him.

"We should be safe here. The Old Man that lives here is vacationing at Rustboro City until morning," the man tells me.

"How did you?"

"I do my homework," the guy replies.

"Who ARE you anyway?" Terra asks.

The two of us look at Terra, nearly forgetting that she was there.

"I'm Tabitha. One of the Magma Duo. I don't like to fight, but I do whatever it takes for safety. Now, are you ready to go south?"

"Can we not rest at all? I wanted to let my Pokémon and I eat before we go anywhere!" I whine, and my request is granted.

"Go, everyone! Eat up!"

I throw my two Pokéballs in the air and throw Oshawott onto the ground.

"Wurmple!" my red worm says.

"Houndour!" my other Pokémon roars.

"Not bad for a rookie," Tabitha laughs.

"You come on out, too, guys!" Terra shrieks.

Three Pokéballs are thrown into the air, and three Pokémon are released from them.

One is the same Pokémon I saw the other day—a Sandshrew. It plops into the ground with Dig and makes a quick burrow outside the cabin.

"Wurmple!" another of the same kind as mine says.

"Slugma?" a clueless, slow Pokémon coos. It seems to be a magma slug—with laval oozing from its face.

"Those are cool Pokémon!" I compliment her.

Tabitha sends out two out of the five Pokémon in his possession.

"Go, Bisharp! Lampent!"

A Power Ranger Pokémon comes out, with its bladed arms fierce.

"Bi-sharp!"

Then a fiery lamp escapes its Pokéball and dances around.

"The others already ate. Hurry, we have plenty of food but not much time!"

I had to skip lunch—there isn't any food for us. I'll have to wait until Dewford Town. Wurmple eats three bowlfuls of food as well—one hungry Pokémon!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko 15 Corphish 13_

"There! Lab coats!" Sean yells to me. Ironically, there is a small lab coat sale outside of the Devon Corporation. We buy some and put them on. Treecko climbs on my shoulder.

"Take these!" Matt says, throwing us some fake IDs.

We walk into the Devon Corporation. Treecko begins climbing the walls and scoping for the police.

"All the officers are in the woods searching for some girl and an Oshawott," he explains as we slyly walk by the front desk.

Oshawott? It couldn't be her?

"There have been rumors of her being a part of Team Magma!" he laughs, seeing his rivals struggle.

Alex? Team Magma? Definitely not, that's not her… Actually…

"Excuse me, I've never seen you before. Can I see your passes?" the front desk receptionist asks nicely.

"Sure thing!" I say, and show her my fake ID.

"Um, okay, Andrew Lincoln, I hope you enjoy your work today," she comments blankly.

"Thank you," I mumble, and the three of us advance to the elevators of the gigantic building.

"There are about twenty different floors?! Okay, here's what we're going to do. Sean, stand guard here on the ground level. Don't let anyone get past this elevator. Tell them it's out of order or something. Anthony, I want you to start on floor two and go up to ten. I'll start on floor 19 and go down to ten. Floor 20 is the rooftop, so we'll do that one last. Got it?" Matt tells us.

"Got it!" Sean stands by.

"Got it," I repeat, and Matt and I enter the elevator. Treecko slips in at the last second.

"Good luck, Tony!"

The elevator doors close as we begin going up.

"So what are we looking for?" I ask him.

"Well, we're looking for the capsules of ancient Pokémon. We expect them to be that of a Pokémon we've been looking for—the Legendary Pokémon, Kyogre. There's no telling where it is, though," Matt says, combing his hair with his hand.

"Right!"

The elevator door opens on floor two, and I exit. Treecko follows, and then hops onto my shoulder again.

"Best of luck, newbie!" Matt says, and leans back against the elevator's inside. He's pretty cool.

I run down the hallways, passing by different scientists and sightseers.

"You! You were in a Team Aqua suit!" a kid slightly younger than me says.

"Sorry kid, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Run along!" I reply, pushing him away.

"You can't trick me! Or my name isn't Willis Pierce!" the kid says [Credit to Drawknight].

"Look, kid. You seem like a decent child, but I'm not looking for a snitch. Who are they going to believe, a little boy who sees things, or an older kid who's wearing a lab coat?"

"…You won't get away with this! Torchic, go! Use Ember!"

"Fine, you asked for it! Treecko, slap it down with Pound!"

Treecko slams into Torchic with its tail, and Torchic stays on the ground. I scoop my Pokémon up and run into a nearby room, slamming and locking the door. I dim the lights and crouch against the door. Willis looks around and begins peeping in the windows. He can't see me, though.

Once Willis is gone, I turn the lights back on and search the place.

"Aha!" I yell, walking up to a machine. It's labeled "Fossil Regenerator." I find some test tubes connected to it and snatch them, slipping them in my bag. I notice that the Team Aqua logo is on it, and then realize that the receptionist must have known the whole time.

A red light in the hallway begins flashing and an alarm goes off. I grab Treecko and we run to the elevator.

"Oh no you don't!" Willis screams, finding me.

"Yeah, I kinda. Have to. Treecko, use Bullet Seed!"

Treecko and I step in the elevator, and it spits a stream of seeds at Willis as the doors close. The last one slips through the small space left between the doors and it hits Willis in the nose. Torchic huffs at me. We go down and I pull in Sean just as the police arrive outside. I push the button to go up, and we end up on floor ten.

"How do we contact Matt?" Sean asks me.

"You go find him. I'll go up to the rooftop. That way the capsules will be safe!"

"Capsules? Oh, never mind that. Let's go find Matt! Go, Pokéball!"

A small water spider Pokémon slips out of the Pokéball and glides on the floor.

"This Surskit can be my equivalent of a starter Pokémon! Let's go, Surskit!"

The two of them begin going down the hallway as the elevator takes me to floor 16 automatically.

An older gentleman walks in with a cane for blindness. He notices me through his cane's bumping and apologizes. I tell him it's fine.

"Hello, young man! How are you and your Pokémon doing?"

"Um, just fine, sir! My Treecko and I are growing well," I awkwardly reply.

"That's wonderful. I'm the retired owner of the Devon Corporation. Some people call me Grandpa Stone! I'm a collector of stones and fossils. I can't do much against the new teams, though. Have you seen any of them around?"

"Uh, yes sir. I've heard that Team Magma is the worse of the two, though," I tell him.

"Is that so?"

_Ding! _The elevator stops at floor 18.

"Well, that's my stop, young man! Nice chat!"

I'm just glad he didn't see my test tubes. Or the fact that I'm from Team Aqua. Or the fact that I came here falsely.

"Oh, and good luck in Team Aqua," he smiles, and steps out the door just as it closes again to go upward.

Wh-what?! He knew?

The door opens on the rooftop, and Treecko and I slowly run to the edge while waiting for the others. I look down to see three cop cars surrounding the Devon Corporation.

_Ding! _The elevator opens back up again. I brace myself and get Treecko at the ready.

"Hey, Tony! You made it!" Sean smiles, returning his Surskit.

"Not bad, newbie. Not bad," Matt walks up to me and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Thanks, but we've been spotted! We need to get out!"

"Please. I had to send down Smoke Balls to stop those coward policeman from coming in. The Officer Jenny characters are tough though," he explains.

Matt takes his bag off and presses a button. Suddenly it begins transforming into a hang glider.

"Grab hold of the bar, and when I say so, push off. Anthony, you may want to hold onto your Treecko or something!"

I slip Treecko in my backpack and grab hold of the bar. Sean grabs the bar as well. The whole glider is blue—the top having the Aqua logo on it. Matt then grabs hold, and then he counts to three.

_One…_the elevator dings as several officers swarm in.

_Two…_the policeman call out their Pokémon, and Officer Jenny calls out a Growlithe.

_Three…!_ We push off the edge of the building and glide above the Petalburg Woods. I see more Team Aqua grunts doing missions at the Shipyard and Ship Museum attractions.

As we glide, I spy a cabin down by the water.

"Let's stop there for a rest," I suggest, and the others agree. The three of us land on the roof of the cabin and jump onto the ground.

I run into the cabin expecting to see someone asleep this late at night. However, it is empty. There are bags of chips and Pokémon Food cans left around, and it seems that a group of people have just left.

"Darn, we missed the party!" Matt laughs, and then sits in a chair and calls out to one of his Pokémon.

"Go, Ludicolo!"

A jolly Pokémon comes out singing and dancing as I crack open a can of Pokémon food and let Treecko out of my bag.

"Sing us a tune!" Matt smiles.

"Ludi-colo! Ludi Ludi-colo!"

I eat dinner with Sean and Matt, hiding gracefully behind a small house versus an entire police force. I grab the capsules from my bag and stare at them. Each one contains small stones or fossilized remains.

Then the three of us just decide to rest in the cabin that night—taking shifts watching for the occupants. Matt sleeps in a blue sleeping bag, Sean in a red, and myself in a green one.

. . .

_Just Previously_

_**Alex: **__Oshawott 15 Houndour 12 Wurmple 5_

"Are we almost there yet?" Terra whines.

"We're halfway there!" Tabitha struggles as he rows the boat.

"Are you sure the man won't mind that we…stole…his boat?!" I flip. I know the guy—it's Mr. Briny!

"Stop worrying, kids! Just go with it. We'll get there when we get there. Right now, just let out your Pokémon and groom them, or whatever you girls like to do!"

"Go, Wurmple!" I yell with enthusiasm.

My Wurmple comes out with a wonderful plop. It laughs and inches around. I glance to see Oshawott swimming in the water nearby, beside us.

"Too bad I can't send out Houndour…it doesn't like the water!"

"Alex, first of all, it's cramped enough with your Pokémon on this boat. Second, Houndour would rather stay inside!" Terra explains to me.

"Ah, who asked you?"

"Girls, did you hear the police? They said something about a boy and his Treecko invading the Devon Corporation!" Tabitha excitedly screeches.

"A boy and his Treecko…?" I frown. Is that Tony…? Wait.

"Invading the DEVON CORPORATION!?" I scream.

"Yep!" Tabitha laughs.

"We have to turn back! We _have_ to!" I squeal.

"No way, kid. I know you may like the place or something, but that doesn't matter. We can't go back for some other criminal. What if he's on Team Aqua?"

Tony…on Team Aqua? Nah, he's not like that. …Right?


	6. Once a Thief, Always a Thief!

**Part 6**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, and Wurmple_

"Row! Row! Row!" Tabitha mumbles as he rows the paddle through the water.

"Faster! I see Carvanha coming!" Terra warns him.

I look back to see the Pokémon coming to us. Oshawott decides to help out as well. It hops into the water and begins pushing.

"Oshawott, try to use the water to your advantage!" I tell it.

"Osha! Oshawott!" it replies back, and begins forcing itself through the water in a pressurized water current of its own.

"L-look at it go!" Terra says, awing in disbelief.

"That's Aqua Jet!" Tabitha looks back in shock.

"Aqua Jet?" I ask, confused. I look at my red uniform and it's sopping wet from the rough waters, but I don't care.

"Keep it up, Oshawott!"

"Osha!" it smiles, and then forces the boat off course and onto a stray island.

"Sandshew, go!" Terra yells.

A Sandshrew comes out onto the boat and curls up next to Terra.

"Well, if we're off course, we may as well train for the remainder of the day!"

"That's true, you girls aren't as strong as the rest of the grunts yet," Tabitha tells them, "but Alex, I must admit that your Oshawott is impressive!"

"Thank you!" I smile.

We land on the island perfectly, but the boat smashes to pieces. Oshawott managed to handle the Aqua Jet. It jumps into my arms and goes to sleep. I guess I'll be training the others while we wait for a ride back.

"We need to get off this island now, Boss!" Tabitha yells into his cell phone.

"Dewford Town is just across the bay I believe! I need a mode of transportation. Of course I am watching the girls! Please, those two could handle themselves anyways!" Tabitha argues over the phone.

I begin walking around the island. It's shaped like a star almost—with five different points. After a short distance with Tabitha still in my sight, I come across a small inscription of Unown lettering on a rock.

It says something about the Red and Blue Orbs. I'm not sure what exactly those are, but I remember my father trying to explain them to me when I was little.

_-Flashback-_

"_Yes Alex, this red circle could control the big dinosaur that lives in the land. The blue circle here can control the big blue fish that controls the oceanlife. The two of them have a lot of power in them, and you could control the world with them both!"_

"_Could I get a pony too, Daddy?"_

_Steven smiles at his young daughter. _

"_Of course you could! All the people in the land would give you all of their Ponyta. You'd be the strongest trainer ever!"_

_His daughter laughs, claiming that she will get the red and blue circles. He smiles, picking her up._

"_However, there is another orb above the red and blue ones. The Jade orb, a green color, is stronger than the combination of them both!" Steven acts surprised. They sit on the floor of their house in Rustboro. _

"_You mean…Green beats Red….and Blue…AND purple?" Alex gasps._

"_I'm afraid so. However, nothing can beat you and me!"_

"_Yeah! 'Cause we're a team, Daddy! We'll never be beaten!"_

"_That's right, honey. No one can separate the two of us. Not even Team Aqua, or Team Magma!"_

"_Team…Aqua? Magma? Daddy, what are those Pokémon?"_

"_Oh, honey. We'll save that for another rainy day! Let's go out and play with Aron!"_

_-End of Flashback—_

I snap out of my daydream to see Terra running towards me.

"Maxie is coming to help us! Wait…what are you looking at?"

Terra reads the inscription and begins frantically freaking out.

"T-Tabitha! You need to check this out!" she says, running back towards the Magma Admin.

I sit down on a nearby stone, clutching my Oshawott.

"Oh, Daddy. I've been such a misguided fool. I hope one day…you'll forgive me," I begin crying, and hide from the others so they don't see my weakened state.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko and Corphish_

I wake up to find an old man staring at me.

"Who are you?! Peeko, my darling, use your Wing Attack!" he screams.

A Wingull comes in through the doorway and begins attacking—just me—with its wings.

"No, no, no! Sir, this is a misunderstanding! I just don't have anywhere to go!" I try to explain.

"Team Aqua is not welcome in my house! Peeko, use Water Gun!"

"M-Matt! Sean! Get up!" I scream, thrashing around the cabin to wake the others up.

A Wingull flies towards us and sprays us with a stream of water.

"Gahh!" Matt glubs through the water.

Sean dodges it at the last second, and I was protected by my Treecko, who fired a Bullet Seed in defense.

I grab Matt's bag and out pops three small felted squares. There's a small switch on the steel handle within the shape, and I press it. Instantly a hang glider pops out like the one last night. As the old man commands his Wingull to attack the others, I climb the windows of the small cabin and get on the roof.

"Guys, come on!"

Sean grabs a square and climbs up.

"I'm ready!"

"Go without me! I'll catch up!" a voice emanates from inside.

"Okay Matt!" I reply back, and put Treecko in my bag again. Then, I kick off the small cabin and use the ocean breeze to my advantage. I fly far past the sea as Treecko applies more power with a Bullet Seed—acting as an engine.

I look behind myself to see Sean struggling to hold on. Farther back I see the old man fooling with Matt. I hope he doesn't get in trouble.

I fly beside a small island with the remains of a small rowing boat. I think I see a figure of a member of Team Magma, but dismiss it and steer myself to the left. Suddenly I land with a thud on the top of a cave—Granite Cave. From on top of that cave, I patiently wait for my colleagues to join me.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, and Wurmple_

A large helicopter hovers down onto the small stray island.

"Thank you for your find, Alex. Your success will most definitely be noted," an underling of Maxie tells me.

Several grunts begin to swarm the area and take pictures.

"This rock seems to be dated back to thousands of years ago," one scientist says.

"The carving was used with what seems to be made from writing instruments!" another exclaims.

"That's definitely Unown lettering, alright," a speculator agrees with my assumption.

"Good, good. Document it. May I please have a chat with the finder of this information?" a familiar figure asks the crowd.

The group of Magma Grunts part into two different subgroups, leaving a path to me. I kinda look around to make sure he _is_ talking about me.

"Alex?! It was…you…who found the writing of the Orbs?" Maxie asks, bewildered. He comes toward me.

"Y-yes," I'm able to muster despite my nervousness.

"Then come with me to the Magma Base of Dewford Island. The two of us need to have a talk. Don't worry, it's good news," Maxie informs me, and then has a few grunts escort me to a steamboat, where Maxie and I are boarded and sent to Dewford.

"I just have one question," I tell Maxie.

"Fire away, Alex," he says, obviously using 'fire' as a pun to Team Magma.

"This inscription…it's about the Red Orb, isn't it?"

"We'll discuss this later. Right now we're just scoping its origins and meaning—both literally and figuratively. As soon as we have the verification, I'll tell you everything. For now, let's just get to this base," he tells me, and the two of us wait to dock at Dewford.

. . .

"_This is PokéNews with your live information. I'm here with Mr. Briney, who claims to have seen a figure resembling the character whose disappearance has been talked about for days. Mr. Briney, you say you have seen Anthony, the missing child from Littleroot Town?" the female news reporter asks, shoving the microphone nearly into Mr. Briney's mouth. _

"_That's what it looks like, ma'am. But the person I thought he was ran off rather quickly, and I only managed to see that he had a green Pokémon with him. It may not be a big tip, but that's all I know. After he left, a Team Aqua Admin confronted me and told me to not get involved. My dear Peeko, darling! It's time for your bath! Oh, that's all the time I have for today. My little Peeko has gotten filthy while playing in the mud!" Mr. Briney laughs. _

"_Wingull!" Peeko confirms. _

_The camera moves from the old man to the news reporter, and she smiles and laughs as Wingull flies away._

"_Well that's our scoop! Stay tuned for the next segment of: Small Talk with Gabby and Ty!"_

. . .

Sean quickly lands on the cave's top with his hang glider being torn from his hands and sinking in the ocean to our left. However, he does show me a Wingull he caught while flying. Let's just say that his face has cuts and bruises.

Matt later follows, however he doesn't land on the cave—but rather in front of it. He tells us to stay there while he checks out Dewford's main city, and we obey.

I decide to peek inside the cave. I walk in to find a small rock near the corner of the main entrance. I quickly hide behind it and unzip my bag to let Treecko out.

From the rock I can see people working around me. They're in red costumes. Wait! Those are…Team Magma costumes! I run out of the cave in time to dodge any looks—you know, since I'm in my Team Aqua outfit.

I run to tell Sean to come here. He comes in and peeks around the bend in the cave, where we can see them working. Sean then says he will go and tell Matt. I decide to go take a look around inside.

Inside there are different rocks and gaps I can hide in and slide through to avoid any sights of my being. Therefore I can work my way into finding out their plans.

"That rock with Unown inscriptions is definitely going to be a prize!" one grunt squeals loudly. I tell Treecko to listen closely.

"Maku Maku!" something says from behind me. A Makuhita is yelling about an intruder.

"No! Shh! Be quiet!" I whisper as the shadows of grunts begin walking toward me.

"Makuhita! Maku Maku!" the yellow-bellied Pokémon cries, thrusting its gloves back and forth at me.

"Treecko, use Quick Attack!" I whisper.

"'Cko!" Treecko snaps, slamming into Makuhita. It puts its twig in its mouth.

"Go, Pokéball!" I panic, throwing a standard ball at Makuhita.

"What is it Makuhita?" one grunt asks.

"It's a wild Pokémon, it's probably just showing off to its friends," another tells the first one.

"Yeah, you're right. Sorry," the first apologizes.

I sigh as I watch Makuhita shake a few times in the Pokéball.

_Bing! _a sound comes from the ball, signaling a successful capture.

"Nice! In the bag you go, Makuhita!" I gratefully say while putting my new Pokémon in my bag.

I look at the first bend in the cave to see Sean peeking nearby. He signals for me to keep going and mouths that Matt is getting backup to take over the cave.

I begin running behind machines and shadows as I manage to make it to a storage closet without being seen. I slam the door and take a breather. Then I realize that I still have those capsules in my bag! The DNA scans from the ancient Pokémon! I decide to wrap them up in a blanket and tuck them under my Pokéballs so they aren't found if I'm captured.

I run to this big, important room. From there, I hide in yet another closet. On the desk of that room is a little name plate saying 'Magma Boss Maxie.' I throw my fist in the air silently in triumph. Then I hear two people approaching the room. I dig deep in the closet to find myself face-to-face with a Spinarak. Trying not to freak out, I realize it's a fake one used to scare off kids. They must put them out in the front of the cave or something. Sighing, I put Treecko in my lap and peek through the blinds of the door. Treecko puts its twig in its mouth. I look back—and then I see who it is.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, and Wurmple_

I'm escorted to this cave called the 'Granite Cave,' which is on the northern side of Dewford Island. Maxie brings me in the cave and takes me through several different rooms and winding tunnels until I reach the final chamber. I enter the room to see a nice, bright window by the sea and an impressive desk in the center—and it's made out of the same stone the cave is. On this desk is a computer, several different files, and a keychain. Maxie sits down in a comfortable chair and offers me a seat.

I accept and sit down. The only other things in the room are a file cabinet and a closet.

"You did a remarkable job finding that stone, Alex," Maxie compliments me.

"Why thank you, but it was just luck," I reply modestly.

"Nonsense! You may have gotten us the ticket to finding Groudon _and_ Kyogre! With the both of them, Team Aqua will be in shatters!" he laughs. I sigh because of his greed.

"So this is about land and sea, then. So what's the big deal?"

"Big deal?! These photographs here," Maxie tells me while pointing at some printed pictures of the boulder I found, "are going to lead us right to the next clue for the Red and Blue Orbs!"

Maxie shows me the pictures, but one falls and lands under the door of the closet. He begins to lunge for it, but then the picture of the boulder is moved farther than its location—something grabbed it!

"Who's there?" Maxie mutters in fright.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

I thrust myself out of the closet and throw my two Pokéballs in the air and throw Treecko as well.

"Treecko Bullet Seed! Corphish use Bubble! Makuhita, Arm Thrust!"

Treecko takes out its twig and spits an array of seeds at Maxie and the grunt sitting at the table, while Corphish distracts them with a Bubble attack and Makuhita slamming Maxie with Arm Thrust. I grab the picture of whatever is so important and slip it in my bag.

"And I'll see you folks later!" I yell in triumph while having Treecko break the window with Bullet Seed. I return my other Pokémon and grab him as we jump out the window. I look back to see…

"Alex?!"

"Tony?" she screams back in confusion.

"Well this is awkward," I smile, and then jump in the water and swim with my Corphish (who I re-called out) to safety. I look and see that my capsules are fine—and the picture is as well. Treecko and Corphish high five, and I join them. What a team—Team Aqua. I guess I do fit in.


	7. Willis, Girl's Best Friend

**Part 7**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

After traveling the ocean currents with Corphish, I finally manage to drift ashore onto the main city of Dewford Island, Dewford Town. I just stay there with Treecko and Corphish at first, trying to regain my thoughts and realize what I just did.

I decide to go and eat at a restaurant, but all they serve is seafood (which makes me sick to my stomach), and I just go buy a sandwich at a local diner. Treecko, Corphish, and Makuhita get some Pokémon food and chow down.

"Excuse me, are you Anthony of Team Aqua?" a voice comes up from behind me.

"Who wants to know?" I ask while eating at my booth. Treecko and Corphish greet the man.

"Your boss, of course!" Archie reveals himself by coming around to my table. He asks to sit, and I allow him.

"So I understand through Matt and Sean that you managed to snag some information Team Magma acquired, eh? Very nice work. I'm promoting you to a second-rank grunt. That means there is only one ranking of the 'grunt' stage ahead of you, and then admin and Boss. I must admit that your skill and timing was impeccable!" Archie says enthusiastically.

He still looks the same; the same facial hair encircling his mouth, the same blue eyes, and the same intimidating, yet friendly pose. Yet for me, I'm completely different. I've grown confidence in myself. I've counted on other people, and now I can put my trust in them and my Pokémon. Without my stepfather around me, ruining my life, I think I'm enjoying what time I have. Team Aqua may just be the place for me.

"Do you, by any chance, have that picture of what they documented?" he asks me, and I give him the picture.

"Yes, yes. This talks of the legendary orbs of the Weather Trio. However, there is another Pokémon with another orb—that's why it's a trio. It's believed that there is a Pokémon that stops the feuds between Groudon and Kyogre. As for me, I'm wanting to help Kyogre reclaim the ocean and prevent the land from taking over. Who knows, we may find the leader of the Weather Trio one day. As for now, I will schedule a take-over of the Granite Cave. I've assigned you your own squad of Aqua Grunts! Your friend Sean will be in there, so make Team Aqua proud! You have a few hours to rest or train, and once we take over, I will reward you and help decipher this photograph and its meaning. Thank you for your help!" Archie continues, talking nonstop.

I'm never going to get away! Treecko falls asleep, Corphish begins fighting with other customers, and Makuhita is breaking tables and ruining the diner. Then I remember the capsules.

"Oh, Boss! I have the capsules from the Devon Corporation securely in my bag. I'll hand them off right now," I tell him, and begin digging in my bag for the test tubes.

"Please, call me Archie. And that is not necessary, for I will need you to actually hand them off to another Aqua Admin over in Slateport City. That's the next town," he explains.

"What's his name?"

"No!"

"No?"

"He's a _her_. You'll see her when you see her. Does that make sense, Anthony?"

"Not really, sir. But when I see an Admin from Team Aqua, I will be sure to give them to her," I offer.

"Fantastic. I'll see you in a few hours for the take-over!"

And that is how my day is going.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Wurmple_

Outside of what just happened, I decide to go train for the upcoming war between land and sea.

"Houndour, you use Bite by gnashing your teeth on the foe," I explain to my Pokémon.

"Hound?" it slightly tilts its head.

Houndour learns how to bite by…gnawing on my leg.

"V-very good," I wince, grabbing a towel and wiping the wound clean of blood. Houndour apologizes.

"Now you know Ember, Roar, Bite, and Smog…hmm…what next?"

I think of Tony, and how he joined Team Aqua. Oh, the irony. The 'love at first sight' junk is affecting me big time. I don't even believe in that stuff. But…Tony, the helpless boy in the woods…is now besmirching my good name! Oh, boys are so…ugh!

"Okay Houndour, good enough! Wurmple, come on out!" I call.

Oshawott hops from my shoulder to the ground as it compliments the power of its friend. My Wurmple comes out cheerful and slithers to me in happiness.

"Now let's work on that String Shot of yours!" I begin, and Wurmple shoots strings of silk up into the air, dazzling me.

"Hey, don't train without me!" Terra yells, running towards me.

"What happened with Maxie, Terra?"

"He's upset that you ran off, but apparently everything is fine; only one picture was stolen. So you know that boy?" Terra asks.

"N-no, I have no idea who that was," I lie. A small fib every now and then isn't too bad, right?

"Go, Wurmple! String Shot with Wurmple!" Terra laughs, her long brownish hair flowing in the slight wind. She's pretty cool once she's washed up.

Both Wurmple String Shot beautiful silk threads, and then both of them begin to glow white.

"What's happening?!" I ask, scared for my worm.

"They're…evolving!" Terra answers, eyes twinkling.

My Wurmple begins to grow into an oval with spiky points on the ends. Terra's is as well! They grow bigger and begin to lose their wormy appearance.

Mine evolved into this silky white Pokémon, and it has tender eyes and silk spikes. Terra's evolved into a slightly more purple Pokémon, with aggressive-like eyes.

"Mine is a Cascoon! How exciting! I can't wait to get a Dustox!" Terra laughs excitedly.

"I love my Cascoon, too!"

"Oh, Alex: your Pokémon is a Silcoon, mine is a Cascoon. See the differences? That's how you can tell," Terra tries to explain.

"But how can Wurmple evolve into two different things?"

"It's completely random—I believe it is based on their personality values. Never mind that, let's just keep training! My Sandshrew wants to learn Rapid Spin!" Terra laughs, and I laugh too. I don't know why. Maybe I'm laughing because I have no clue what's going on.

"Hello, ladies. Are you two joining the Pokémon Contest here?" a kid asks us.

"Contests?! Here?! But usually they're just in the regular cities!" I whine, and Terra seems surprised that I know about contests.

"Well they have travelling contests now, where they move from town to town, letting people have a chance at earning five ribbons for the Grand Festival. Here, have a pamphlet!" the boy continues, his Torchic looking at my Oshawott.

I take a pamphlet and shove it in my back pocket. "Well thank you, but I'm busy training right now. I'll join it later, I can't right now," I frown.

"It's tomorrow! Oh, and my name is Willis by the way. I hope to battle against you!"

"Well, Willis, good luck!" I cheer falsely.

"Oh, and—excuse me for asking this—but why would a cute girl like you join Team Magma? I mean, I know you're red hot, but evil? That's a turn-off," the kid smirks, and then runs off with his Torchic.

"Hot? You look like you're ten! Forget about it, kid. I'll knock you right out of the competition! And Team Magma isn't bad, you know! Team Aqua is!"

"That's what all Magma grunts say. And I'm almost twelve, thank you. Bye, hot stuff! I'll see you and your Sea Otter later!" and he runs off.

"That kid really ticks me off," I stammer.

"Osha!" Oshawott cheers as I glance to see it master Aqua Jet.

"Good! Return, Houndour and Silcoon! Okay Terra, let's go to the Pokémon Center and rest up for this contest tomorrow! Hop on Oshawott!"

"How do you know about contests? What about the Pokémon Gym League?"

"Forget about dumb gyms, I just want to be in contests!"

"Oh, I am so telling Tabitha!" Terra laughs.

"Oh no you don't!" I scream, and the two of us run in the dark on our way to the Pokémon Center. I still think it's weird that they house Magma Grunts there. Oh well.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

I have only a few hours to train before we take over Granite Cave. Therefore, I'm willing to train my Pokémon for the Dewford Gym. On my way to the woods to train, I found a small disc labeled 'TM Acrobatics.' I look it up and find out it's a flying type move…and Treecko can learn it.

"Treecko, I want you to learn Acrobatics in time for Brawly, the second gym leader. We'll get the upper hand then," I smile.

Treecko begins dancing between trees, learning how to flip over and attack the opponent while doing a summersault. While Treecko does that, I toss two Pokéballs in the air.

"Go! Corphish, Makuhita!"

The Ruffian Pokémon comes out in anger, jealous of my time spent with Treecko, and begins to practice on logs fiercely. Makuhita, however, just stands there confused.

"I know! Corphish, Makuhita, you two have a nice battle together while Treecko learns Acrobatics!" I cheer, and the two agree.

"Corphish Cor!" my water-type snarls at Makuhita, who begins to flinch from the cacophonous words.

Corphish starts off with a Bubble to hit Makuhita, but my fighting-type uses Arm Thrust to knock the bubbles away. Corphish gets upset and begins to use Metal Claw, but Makuhita deflects it with Vital Throw.

"These two are tough as well. Let me see…Acrobatics' power is doubled if an item is not held, and since Treecko's twig isn't an official item…it should be a strong attack!"

Treecko finally knocks down a tree with its new technique, and I congratulate it. Corphish and Makuhita continue on fighting, always deflecting and rendering the other one's attacks useless.

"Corphish Phish Phish!" Corphish screams, sending out a stream of bubbles one after another.

"What attack was that?" I ask, and then go to a guide book for reference.

"So this is BubbleBeam. Okay, seems good enough!"

I notice Makuhita is forced to take repeated hits, not dodging them, but rather absorbing them. I have think of how I can help it with this.

"Makuhita, we need to teach you how to dodge. Treecko, get over here!" I shout.

"Tree…cko," Treecko replies with a twig in its mouth.

It successfully uses Acrobatics to hop from the trees to the field, and Corphish pleads with me to battle. The Pokémon is determined, yet jealous.

"Phish!"

I decide to let Makuhita watch out Treecko dodges Corphish's attacks.

Corphish uses Metal Claw, but Treecko counters with Quick Attack to dodge, making him diagonal of Corphish. Treecko then bounces on its tail to dodge a BubbleBeam, and uses Bullet Seed to destroy the bubbles. Treecko lands on its feet and looks back at me, and then leans against a tree and sleeps.

"That was…not very good for Makuhita," I admit.

I look at its moves on the PokéNav. It knows Fake Out, Arm Thrust, Vital Throw, and Sand Attack. I think of how we can use his fists to protect him.

"Try whirling your fists around, Makuhita!" I suggest.

Makuhita begins to make a circular pattern in the air with its fists, and soon a Whirlwind erupts from his arm. Eventually, I'm knocked backwards and fall on my butt. I get up to see Makuhita proud of itself.

"Now that we know that, you can forget Fake Out. While it's a decent move, we won't be able to take full advantage of it!"

Makuhita proudly tests out its attacks on Corphish and Treecko, and they aren't able to land a physical hit on him. My yellow-bellied sumo wrestling Pokémon is finally learning its potential.

"Okay Corphish, let's work on your move set. You know BubbleBeam, Metal Claw, ViceGrip, and Harden…let's see, you don't need Metal Claw since there isn't much but STAB to use it with," I conclude.

Corphish decides that it's time to learn Crabhammer, even though that is a strong attack that most take a while to learn. Instead of turnings its pincer into a steel, metallic claw, Corphish's pincer turns white and it slams on a rock, breaking it in thirds.

"Nice job, Corphish! How'd you learn that so early?"

"Phish!" Corphish jumps into the bushes and starts to Crabhammer something.

"Ow, call your mutt off of me!" Willis says from the bushes.

"What were you doing spying on me in the first place?" I furiously demand to know, my newly found confidence from Archie flaring in.

"I wanted to battle the big bad grunt," Willis teases.

"I'm older than you, so I don't know why you're so cocky," I snort.

"Go, Torchic! Use Ember!"

"Corphish, use BubbleBeam!" I retort.

Corphish's bubbles defeat the Ember, and then Corphish dives in and uses Crabhammer to knock Torchic out.

"Fine! Go, Seedot! Bullet Seed!"

Seedot spits a stream of bullets at Corphish, and my Ruffian Pokémon goes down, mostly from training so hard without rest.

"Fine! Makuhita, come on!" I call out, and my Makuhita runs to the field.

"Makuhita, use Sand-Attack!"

Makuhita kicks a bunch of sand in Seedot's eyes, and the acorn can't see where it's going.

"Now Makuhita, use Arm Thrust!"

"Seedot, use Tackle in front of you!"

Seedot, despite the drop in accuracy, is able to throw its weight onto Makuhita. However, my Pokémon uses one of its five Arm Thrusts to knock Seedot's attack away, and then the other four slam into the Pokémon and defeat it easily. I then realize—I don't need Whirlwind. I just use offense as my defense as well!

"Thanks for the great battle," I tell Willis, and then Makuhita uses Whirlwind to send Willis flying in the sky.

"Looks like I've been blown away!" he screams through the air, his Torchic and Seedot unconscious. Once he is out of sight, a small white glint in the sky appears.

"Where have I seen that before?" I ask out loud, and my Pokémon seem confused.

"Come on guys, let's go get a nice long rest!"

I walk in the Pokémon Center with Treecko and Nurse Joy commends me for stopping Team Magma, but scolds me for still being in Team Aqua.

"You're too good a person," she smiles.

"I have nowhere else to go," I answer rashly.

She hands me a big package with my name on it. I open it to see more discs like the one I used on Treecko. I look back at Treecko, and it gives me a thumbs-up.

"Thanks for the package, Archie," I whisper, and I run upstairs with my Wood Gecko Pokémon. Then I climb into bed for a few hours. Tomorrow morning, we're taking over the Magma Hideout.

. . .

_**Alex:**__ Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

"I'm joining the contest tomorrow, Terra. I'm so much better at them then gym battles!"

"How do you even know? I mean, you haven't even competed yet. There is some stiff competition in Contests, you know. It won't be easy," she replies harshly.

"Don't worry, I'm teaching Oshawott an Aqua Jet / Water Gun technique that is sure to wow the crowd.

"What about Houndour? Or Silcoon?"

"I don't think that Houndour or Silcoon are ready. We'll wait until the next competition for them," I suggest, and Terra nods.

"Should I join the competition, too, then?"

"Sure! We'll both help each other out tomorrow morning, and then compete for the ribbon tomorrow!"

The two of us (and Oshawott) walk to the Pokémon Center and look for a room.

"Sorry, we're booked. Go to your base!"Nurse Joy tells us.

So Terra and I redirect our course to Granite Cave to find Team Magma grunts swarming in and out of the cave.

"What's going on?" I ask Tabitha, who is supervising the grunts.

"We need to get out of here by tomorrow evening. Team Aqua may be wanting to take this place over, and we can't afford for him to get more information!"

"Him?"

"Your little boyfriend, you know—the infamous thief? Anthony?"

"He isn't my boyfriend. Oh, and please—Tony is not getting more information than what he already has!" I scream, but my face goes red.

"Nickname's Tony, huh? Cute. See ya later, girls!" Tabitha smirks, and then walks off into the cave.

"What a punk," I mumble, and Terra laughs at me.

_A few minutes later_

I eventually decide to camp out with Terra outside the Pokémon Center's back door. We sleep tightly, with Silcoon, Oshawott, and Houndour resting comfortably as well.

So I guess that means I won't see Tony again. Whether that's a good thing, I don't know, but whatever the outcome—I am Alex Stone, and I will help Team Magma rule Hoenn. I don't care what Tony may try. I'm not falling for him again—uh, him as in his tricks. Not him. I'm not falling for his tricks.

[Credit to Drawknight for Willis]


	8. Competition in Dewford Town!

**Part 8**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

Terra and I get up to go practice for the Pokémon Contests. She informs me that we should probably wear casual clothing and _not_ our uniforms.

"Didn't Maxie ask us to help guard the Magma Base at Granite Cave?" Terra asks me, her brown hair suffering from bed head.

"I'm not sure, but I think two grunts won't make much of a difference. What's more important, a contest or a silly base?"

Terra brushes her hair as I brush my teeth. Oshawott and Houndour are still asleep, but Silcoon is wide awake. After brushing my teeth, I pick it up and decide to groom it.

"Well, we _are_ part of Team Magma…so the more important of the two would be—" she attempts.

"Yep! Contests!" I cut her off.

"Fine," she replies, and I return my Pokémon and grab Oshawott.

We run out of the Pokémon Center and practice really quick.

"Okay, Oshawott! Use Aqua Jet!"

My Oshawott begins spinning into a powerful force of water.

"Now use Water Gun, and make it spin around!"

Oshawott creates another stream of water that wraps around the Aqua Jet.

"Now finish it off with an Air Slash!"

Oshawott slices the water into small droplets with the wind from the swipe of its Scalchop. The droplets fall in midair, creating a glimmering rainbow inside each molecule as the sun shines bright.

"Beautiful, Alex!" Terra's eyes glimmer.

"Thank you, thank you. Oshawott and I have perfected it just in time for the contest!" I brag.

"Well, here we go! Sandshrew, come on out!" she calls.

"Sandshrew!" the Pokémon squeals.

"Sandshrew, use a combination of Dig and Rollout!"

Sandshrew begins to roll around in a circle until it eventually digs a donut-shaped circle in the ground. Then, it springs up into the air, spins in a ball, and lands on its feet. It was pretty cool.

"That was awesome!"

"It's almost time to start—we have three minutes to get there and we aren't sure where it is!" Terra screams.

"Sandshrew, return!"

"Oshawott, get in my bag!"

We run as fast as we can and luckily stumble upon the contest hall set up along the shoreline. It's a rounded building that is full of pink and red colors everywhere; it's so vivid!

"Are you ladies here to get your Contest passes?" the receptionist woman asks nicely.

"Yes we are," I reply nicely. I at first wonder why she's not screaming that there are Magma Grunts in the room, but then remember that Terra and I are concealing our identities. The only evidence is the symbol of my bag of Team Magma, which I hide casually.

"Well, go get to the left and get your pictures taken!"

We are steered left of the desk when a camera comes up and snaps a picture of me, but my face was goofy from the surprise photographer.

"Well look who crawled out of the bed today!" a voice says from behind.

Some man is staring at me—no. He's staring at my Team Magma symbol on my bag.

"Team Magma, huh? We're rivals, then," the man says, showing me his Team Aqua badge inside his jacket.

His jet black hair and dark eyes make him look mysteriously unknown, but I look past that and ignore him. Terra stays close behind me.

"Coordinators, right this way!" the receptionist says, pointing to the arced doorway ahead. Terra and I enter through to find a Coordinator Waiting Room.

"Hey gorgeous, nice of you to come here," a familiar person whispers in my ear.

"Willis is behind you," Terra tells me.

"I KNOW!" I scream, and a lot of coordinators stare at me blankly.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

I wake up to a knocking on my door. First thing I do is put on some pants, and then I open it.

"Hello?" I blurt, zipping them up.

"Um…yeah…anyways, Archie told me to inform you that Team Magma fled from their base and Team Aqua took it over gleefully!" Sean smiles in his pajamas. There are Vanillite all over them with a baby-blue main color.

"That's great!" I yawn, stretching my arms to the ceiling.

"Treecko?" the Wood Gecko Pokémon wakes up. It slips a twig in its mouth and nudges Corphish.

"Phish! Corphish Corphish!" Corphish yelps.

It sends bubbles everywhere with its BubbleBeam attack. Makuhita wakes up and begins Arm Thrusting to pop them. Then Makuhita and Corphish face off.

"I…might want to get some breakfast for them," I sigh.

"Well you're in luck! Nurse Joy just got a fresh shipment in this morning! Of food, that is!"

What else would it be?

"Great! Then let's eat!"

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

"And there you have it, folks! The mysterious character dressed in blue and black has made an amazing combination of the moves Water Gun and Electro Ball with his Chinchou! Judges, what score do the two deserve?" the contest announcer, Vivian Meridian, asks the three people standing in front of a large desk big enough to support the three of them.

"Nurse Joy, you're up first!"

"Well, I must admit that the conduction of electricity by the water created an awe-inspiring array of water droplets! The two are a good pair!" Nurse Joy smiles, complimenting the Team Aqua member I so drastically despise now.

"Mr. Sukizo?"

"Simply remarkable!" the squint-eyed, near-balding man says loudly.

"And Mr. Contesta?"

"I will say this: you two will make it far!"

"Well there you have it folks," Vivian says, "the judges will now tally up the points. Each judge ranks the coordinator out of ten points, and they combine their scores out of thirty. Oh! looks like they have drawn to a conclusion!"

The big screen in the background shows 28.6 points out of 30. His individual scores were 9.5, 9.5, and 9.6.

"There you have it, folks! This man and his Chinchou have come up with a very high score!"

The crowd goes wild as I watch from the Coordinator Waiting Room.

"There's no time to be nervous now!" Terra pleads with me, trying to shake the nervousness away.

"I know, I know," I wipe my mind of the worry and focus with my Oshawott, who fiddles with its scalchop on the seat beside me.

"Next up," Vivian begins, "is Willis, from Littleroot Town!"

"Go, Nuzleaf!" Willis commands.

"A Nuzleaf?" I whisper. Oshawott watches Willis carefully.

"Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf!"

Nuzleaf spins its leaf in the air and a dozen razor-sharp leaves are emitted from it.

"Now use Faint Attack!"

Nuzleaf bears an evil grin and then disappears for a split second, then slamming into the leaves—causing them to spin into little circles.

"Now use Razor Leaf again!"

Nuzleaf does the same original technique, but this time the new leaves shred the old leaves to create a series of tiny leaf shreds spinning around the room.

"Aaaand the judges?"

The judges say their praises, and then come up with a 29.3! I can't believe my eyes—Willis is actually good at something.

"That's the highest yet! Our next Coordinator is Terra!"

I'm excited to see Terra run on stage, but then I realize why I didn't register her leaving—someone is sitting in her seat.

"So you finally found me, eh? Heh, I've been sitting here a while. You're up last then?" the Team Aqua grunt smirks.

"Yes, as a matter of fact I am!"

"Cool. My name's Marsh. We really appreciate the information you let us snatch from you, it's coming in handy. Good luck in the contest—I hope you make it past the Appeal Round! That's just the qualifiers. Maybe if you beat it you can face me and I can beat the pants off of you," he smiles.

"Shut up!"

"Terra's and Sandshrew's performance has earned them a respectable 27.2! Can the last coordinator of the night beat this score? Let's find out; Alex, it is your time to shine!"

"Oshawott, come on!" I yell, grabbing my bag and snatching Oshawott up.

"Oh, and one more thing!"

I freeze.

"Break a leg," he smiles.

"Leave. Me. Alone."

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

"This official Gym Battle between Brawly of Dewford Gym and the challenger, Anthony from Littleroot Town, is about to take place! This match is a two-on-two battle with only the challenger allowed to force substitutions. Ready? Battle!"

How did I get here so fast? I think back.

"_Sean! You stay here with Makuhita and help it practice blocking hits. I have to take the Gym Battle today!"_

"_But what about scoping out the new base?" Sean asks._

"_I have to get this over with!"_

_I run with Treecko and Corphish to the shoreline, where Brawly is surfing with a bunch of girls. None of them are my type. However, once he sees me [in casual clothing for once] he offers a Gym Match before I even ask. I accept, and we decide to battle in the water itself! The Battle Referee/Judge revs a motor of a boat and meets us at a cluster of stones._

"_You take that large one, I'll take this one. The tides come in here daily, and the rocks are good for strategies. Since most people know of my Hariyama, I won't use it today. You got lucky!"_

This morning has gone by so fast.

"Go, Corphish!"

My Ruffian Pokémon leaps out of the Pokéball and lands on a stone protruding from the water.

"Croagunk, I choose you!" Brawly laughs, throwing a Pokéball in the air lazily and watching his poison-type frog come from it.

"Corphish, let's start this off with a Bubble Beam!"

"Croagunk, use Bulk Up!"

Corphish emits a ton of bubbles, but they don't even seem to do _any_ damage to Croagunk…at _all_. During this time, Croagunk beefs its muscles up, causing its physical side of attack and defense to get buffed.

"Croagunk, now use Drain Punch!"

Croagunk's Drain Punch drains Corphish of its power, and I can tell Corphish is losing health fast.

"Quick! Use Harden!" I command.

Corphish hardens its exoskeleton and then fires away a ViceGrip at Croagunk, hurting its arm badly.

"Use Poison Jab!"

"Jump in the water and dodge it!"

Corphish hops into the water just as Croagunk leaps in with a toxic fist.

"That Corphish is fast!"

"You'll think fast in a minute!" I mumble, but none of Corphish's water attacks are going to work.

"ViceGrip again!"

Corphish pinches Croagunk with its pincers, but Croagunk smirks.

"Now use Poison Jab!"

Croagunk slams its arm into Corphish as it's up close, and then Corphish suffers from the poison status ailment Poison Jab provides.

"Corphish! Hang in there and ViceGrip once more!"

"You just don't give up, do ya?"

Corphish rides a wave slowly, and then blasts off into Croagunk, using its pincers to finally knock the Toxic Mouth Pokémon out.

"What?! Fine then, go, my friend! Timburr, I choose you!" Brawly whines, returning his Croagunk and sending out another Pokémon.

Timburr lands on a rock with a wooden log carved into a long, rectangular block.

"Ready to battle for real now?"

"I've been waiting on you, Brawly," I smirk. This may be a fun battle after all. Only one problem—Corphish is weak from the poison. I don't have much time.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

"Our last Coordinator of the day is Alex from Rustboro City! Show them what you're made of, Alex!" Vivian smiles, her mole being the one thing I'm staring at. I shake my head from its dozing and look down on my Sea Otter Pokémon.

"Well Oshawott, let's give this a shot!"

"Oshawott!"

"Oshawott, use Aqua Jet!"

Oshawott speeds into the air with a jet of water, impressing the crowd already.

"Alex starts off wonderfully with Aqua Jet!" Vivian narrates.

"Now use Water Gun while spinning in the Aqua Jet!"

Oshawott begins to gyrate inside its Aqua Jet, and soon enough it turns into a Water Spout (tornado on water). The spinning Aqua Jet then gets surrounded by a Water Gun, providing a layer of water coiling around the priority move in an aquatic force of beauty.

"I can't believe my eyes! Oshawott has began spinning in the Aqua Jet, and now it's surrounding itself with Water Gun!" Vivian squeals.

"Now slice it with an Air Slash attack!"

Oshawott jumps out of the raging force of water, and uses its Scalchop to break the air into a streak of wind, which slashes down onto the Aqua Jet / Water Gun combo. The mass of liquid slashes into millions of water droplets, sprinkling over the crowd in a shower of mist.

"What a wonderful…and wet appeal! Judges…?" Vivian smiles.

"That was an amazing three-move combo attack! Very impressed…and wet," Nurse Joy smiles, laughing.

"Simply remarkable…and damp!" Mr. Sukizo laughs.

"And Mr. Contesta?" Vivian gasps in suspense at Mr. Contesta's lack of charm.

"It was…okay, I guess. Yes, you used many attacks to impress the crowd; but now we're all soaked two layers deep and I'll have to shower. It was decent, though," he shrugs. I didn't see Vivian complaining…

"And the judges are tallying up the total! Drum roll please!" Vivian recounts, and then presses a button on the remote, creating a drum roll. The crowd laughs.

I look up to see a series of numbers describing my performance, and I'm kind of…upset.

[Credit to Drawknight for Willis]


	9. Tying Loose Ends

**Part 9**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

"A 27.8?!" I yell in the Coordinator Waiting Room.

"Still better than my score," Terra tries to cheer me up.

"Well you didn't do too bad, gorgeous," Willis comes up from behind with his Combusken.

"I don't want your support. Get away from me," I growl.

"That's no way to talk to your boyfriend," he slyly determines.

"I wouldn't date you if I was paid to. Just wait—I will beat you in the Grand Festival!"

"I don't think they allow Team Magma Grunts into the Grand Festival," another voice emanates from behind me. I turn around to see Marsh.

"You need to do better if you even want to make it past this round!"

I sneer at them as I turn to see the next-rounders.

"The following eight people will make it to the next round, based on scores!" Vivian smiles.

Eight cards shuffle on the screen, and then disperse to different locations in a bracket. First two people I see are Willis and Terra. I'm battling a man named George. Marsh is battling a guy named Fisher. Two random people are facing each other. First up, Willis and Terra get ready to battle it out.

"I can't win!" Terra cries.

"Just do your best!" I encourage her.

Terra walks outside the waiting room and into the arena. On the other side comes Willis.

"Nuzleaf, I choose you!" he calls out.

"Leaf," Nuzleaf says with a pounce on the ground.

"Sandshrew, let's go!"

"Shrew!" Sandshrew barks back.

From the waiting room, I look at the TV to see a screen above the judges. It shows the faces of Terra and Willis, with an orange bar below them and a time of five minutes.

"What's that?" I ask Marsh.

"This is the battling round. Here, trainers battle until one loses the most points or one Pokémon faints. If the Pokémon faints, no matter how many points the user has, the opponent wins," Marsh explains.

"Oh okay, so it's sort of like a regular battle—but with style!"

We watch Terra and Sandshrew dodge all of Nuzleaf's Razor Leaf attacks with a Rollout.

"Now slam into Nuzleaf with Rollout!"

Sandshrew flies into the air, targeting Nuzleaf, and begins rolling towards it.

"Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf to finish this!"

Nuzleaf swings its head and knocks Sandshrew out with a couple of sharp leaves.

"There you have it, folks! Willis has won the game!"

"No!" I scream, but I realize that it's already too late.

"Return, Sandshrew. You were awesome!" Terra smiles, and then runs off stage to the waiting room to sit with me.

"You'll do fine. I knew I'd lose against Willis," she sighs.

_Ding ding! _a sound from the PokéNav rings in the air.

"That's Maxie! He needs us!"

"I can't leave yet!" I whisper.

"I'll go. I'll tell him you couldn't make it," she suggests.

"Thanks Terra, I appreciate it."

"Yeah. Now go get that ribbon!"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

"Timburr, ride the waves!" Brawly commands.

"Timburr is able to use its wood to float on as a surf board, so it can practically use Surf without the in-battle attack," he smirks.

Timburr is a sneering Pokémon—it's always making fun of its opponents.

"Corphish, dive into the water!" I retort.

Corphish jumps into the ocean and looks above at the board Timburr rides on.

"One problem—this oceanfront here is shallow! Timburr, use ThunderPunch in the water!"

Timburr thrusts an electrically-charged fist into the water, and is thus conducted a far range beyond the field. Many water-types surface unconscious, such as wild Remoraid or Mantyke.

Worst of all, though—Corphish rises up with swirly eyes, knocked out.

"My Timburr is about to evolve, so this match should be over shortly. May as well give up," Brawly smirks.

"Are you kidding? I've got one Pokémon still! Treecko," I glance at Treecko, "You're up!"

Treecko jumps onto a rock and puts its twig in its mouth.

"Ah, a Treecko. However most starters I face have already evolved. You must be kidding me?!"

"Treecko, start things off with Quick Attack!"

Treecko slams into Timburr, knocking it off of its wood—but it hops right back on.

"After vigorous battles, Timburr's learned how to work with the waves. It's so close to evolving, I can't wait for the immense power!"

Treecko uses Bullet Seed and Quick Attack over and over again, and Timburr uses Drain Punch and Bulk Up repeatedly as well. I keep thinking of how to use Timburr itself to win.

"_After vigorous battles, Timburr's learned how to work with the waves."_

"_Ready to battle for real now?"_

"_My Timburr is about to evolve, so this match should be over shortly."_

"_Timburr is able to use its wood to float on as a surf board, so it can practically use Surf without the in-battle attack."_

"THAT'S IT!" I scream.

"…!" Brawly stares at me awkwardly.

"Treecko, don't dodge any of his attacks! Just let them hit you!"

Treecko nods and lets Timburr keep punching.

"Good, that just means Timburr will win sooner!"

"Treecko, use Quick Attack!"

"Timburr, dodge it with your board!"

Timburr rides the ocean to dodge Treecko's attack, and the Wood Gecko Pokémon dives into the water.

"Come to the surface, but stay in the water and against a rock!"

Treecko leans against a boulder sticking out of the water as Timburr continues swiftly through the water.

"_Wait for it, wait for it!" I think._

Timburr begins to glow white from all of its hard work. It begins to grow larger muscles, grow a larger head, and build up massive power. Its wood turns into a girder.

"Haha! I warned you, now you're in for it!"

"I wouldn't be too sure, if I were you!" I screamed.

Looking back, Brawly sees what he's done.

Gurdurr is drowning in the water—its wood isn't wood anymore, so it can't ride the waves at all. Completely vulnerable, I finish this battle easy.

"No!" Brawly shouts.

"Treecko, kick off the rock with a Quick Attack, and finish off Gurdurr with an Acrobatics!"

Treecko blasts from the rock, flying into the air, and then bounces between boulders and hits Gurdurr right in the head with an Acrobatics. Treecko begins to fall, and lands on a rock—then pulls out its twig again and smirks.

"Gur…durr," Gurdurr moans, unconscious and unable to get up.

"Gah! Gurdurr, return!" Brawly smiles at his Pokémon.

"You did a great job out there, we'll perfect a new strategy now!"

Brawly stares back at me and says, "You definitely are something. I can tell by the way your Pokémon and yourself think—you're going to go far. Here is the Knuckle Badge!"

Brawly throws me a fist-shaped orange badge, and I put it in my case. Now I have two of eight.

"Oh, and Tony—quit Team Aqua. It's not worth it," he smirks.

"How did you—?"

"You're not one of them. I know it. You were completely legit in our battle. Be careful who you work for!"

With that, Brawly hops on a surfboard and goes off alone. I sit there in the sand with my Treecko and Corphish.

I get a call from Sean to go to some party or something.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houdnour, Silcoon_

"There you have it, folks! The Mysterious Marsh has defeated Fisher handily with his Chinchou! He will advance with Willis and the next two winners to the semifinals of the Dewford Ribbon!" Vivian says into her microphone.

I sit in the waiting room while watching Marsh and Chinchou bow.

"Oshawott, it's up to us now. Terra didn't make it," I tell it.

"Osha! Oshawott!"

"The first coordinator to come out is Alex from Rustboro City!"

We step out onto the field again—and then I see someone I don't want to see—Tony is in the stands watching the battles.

"Oshawott, the stage is yours!" I call out, thrusting Oshawott onto the field.

I keep my stare at Tony, and he just stares blankly back at me.

"Alex's opponent is George, from Oldale Town!"

"Go, Nincada!" the stout boy yells. His eyes are slanted, and he has a pale complexion.

"Nincada, use Leech Life!"

"Dodge it and use Aqua Jet to get up close!"

Oshawott jumps away from the HP-draining attack, causing George to lose a few points on the board. My Sea Otter Pokémon next forms into a charging power of water—which slams into Nincada and knocks it out in one hit.

"Well…there you have it folks. This short battle was easily ended by Alex and her Oshawott! The two of them will go on to the semifinals!"

"No! My Tangela!" one of the other coordinators cries.

"There we go, Vincent and his Vibrava will be advancing as well! This means that Willis, Marsh, Alex, and Vincent will be competing in the semifinals. While the coordinators rest, the cards will be shuffled to see who will be battling who!" Vivian concludes.

Oshawott and I sit on a bench, breathless.

"That was quite the battle you had out there," a voice comes from behind.

"Willis, leave me alone!"

"That kid bothers you, too?" the voice asks.

_Don't tell me it's Tony. _Please _don't tell me it's Tony! _I look back to see—just as I feared—the boy from the Petalburg Woods staring at my face.

"What do you want, thief," I bitterly snarl.

"Hey, hey, hey. I'm doing the same thing you are—working for my team. Just because you just so happen to be on the wrong side doesn't mean _I'm_ the bad guy. Anyways, I'll be cheering you on," he smiles. His same old Treecko is climbing on his arms and back.

"T-Tony, you should leave. I don't have anything to say to you," I stutter. Hearing Vivian speak, I walk over to the TV to see the matchups.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

After the wonderful conversation with Ms. Stone, I decide to waltz back to my seat in the stands with Sean.

"_That's_ the girl you stole from, but still secretly admire?" he laughs.

"Shut up before I make you shut up," I snap.

"Okay, okay. Geez. You people and your privacy. Anyways, I taught your Makuhita Ice Punch. I think it forgot Whirlwind. Sorry if you didn't want that," he tells me.

"No! That's fine. It will be great to use against typing issues!" I reassure him.

"I also taught it to block perfectly with Arm Thrust, where he basically slaps an attack away," he continues.

"Excellent!"

The lights dim so the TV can be seen clearer. The matchups are posted—it's that Aqua Grunt "Marsh" vs. Vincent first, then Willis vs. …Alex. As much as I hate her, I can't stop thinking about her. Whatever.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

I watch as Marsh defeats Vincent with his Chinchou. I want to face that Pokémon.

"Next up is the comeback kid Willis versus the fiery girl Alex! Who will win? Looks like it is Nuzleaf against Oshawott! Can Alex pull this off?"

"Of course I can! Oshawott, the stage is yours!" I yell again, letting Oshawott onto the stage.

"Don't you think I'll let you win just because you're a hottie!" Willis stammers.

"Go, Nuzleaf! Start it off with a Razor Leaf!"

"Nuz! Nuzleaf!"

Nuzleaf shoots several razor-sharp leaves at Oshawott, and I'm unsure of what to do.

"Block them with a Water Gun!"

Oshawott's Water Gun ruins the force of the leaves, and as they become wet, they fall to the ground.

"That will cost Willis some points. Comeback?"

Why do they keep calling him the comeback kid?!

"Nuzleaf, use Razor Leaf at Oshawott's Scalchop!"

Oshawott desperately runs from the leaves as they target it like heat-seeking missiles.

"Oshawott, uh, use Aqua Jet to dodge them!"

Oshawott fires into the air with the usual priority attack, but uses it to dodge and them slams into Nuzleaf directly. It seems wiped out already.

"Let's kick this up a notch!" Willis says, and grabs a stone from his bag. Then, he throws it to Nuzleaf and lets the Pokémon catch it.

"That's a Leaf Stone!" Tony yells from above.

Nuzleaf begins to glow white, and then its leaves turn into fan-like shapes. It gets a shaggy white exterior on its head and begins whirling its fan-hands around.

"Shif-try!"

"There's the comeback, folks! Willis has used a Leaf Stone to evolve his Nuzleaf into a Shiftry. What can this kid not do?"

"No matter! Oshawott, use Air Slash!"

Oshawott emits a pressurized wind current from the breaking of the air with its scalchop. From there, Shiftry stands motionless.

"Use Whirlwind!"

Shiftry's fans blow the Air Slash back onto Oshawott and it falls over in pain.

"Alex, you may want to forfeit the match while you still can! Your Pokémon is severely hurt!" Vivian says.

The crowd agrees.

"No! We still have fight left in us. Right, Oshawott?!"

"Osh…Osha…" it stammers.

"Shiftry, finish it off with Faint Attack!"

Shiftry darts into the air and vanishes, but then a dark blob slams Oshawott and knocks it out.

"Osha…wott," it manages to say, but its swirly eyes make it impossible to move on.

"There we have it, folks! It appears that Willis will be advancing into the finals! Judges, what do you think of the battle? Mr. Contesta?"

"Alex, I'm very disappointed in your performance. Not only did you battle way too hard with your Pokémon, but you didn't even let it rest when it was hurt. No coordinator could be cruel to a Pokémon!"

"Mr. Sukizo?"

"That was not very Remarkable, Alex!"

"Nurse Joy?"

"I will make sure to heal your Oshawott at the Pokémon Center, but you should feel guilty for letting it be in such a shape!"

"Too bad, Alex. You almost won—but you didn't. You may be light on your feet, but you're hard on your Pokémon!" Willis laughs, and then the whole crowd begins laughing too—but one person isn't. That person rises out of the stands and comes onto the field. Not wanting to hear a word from his mouth, I flee the stage with Oshawott in my arms—crying.

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

"What's the matter with you?! That is not how coordinators and trainers alike should act towards their opponent! You bring shame to anyone who refers to you as a trainer! You can't insult your opponent—and you judges should lay off of her! She has done nothing to you at all!" I cry, my face getting so red I begin to spit as I talk, barking out at everyone. They all look scared as I yell at them. But I just don't care! Then someone speaks up and tries to scare me.


	10. Bad Situations

**Part 10**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

"Go cry me a river, just get on with the contests already! Is it hot in here to you guys?" Willis sneers.

"Oh it'll be plenty hot where you'll be going," I snarl back. We stare off. Combusken vs. Treecko. Willis vs. Anthony.

"Fine, we'll have a battle. If I win, you have to give me both of your badges _and _your Aqua outfit!"

Glancing around, I see no one knows what he's talking about. My cover hasn't been blown quite yet.

"Fine, but if I win, then you have to not only go apologize to Alex, but you will also forfeit the contest and let my buddy Marsh get it," I retort, looking for my other Aqua Adversary.

"Fine by me!"

"Folks, it looks like we have a battle in the contest hall! Judges, is this allowed?"

"I don't see why not," Nurse Joy says, "I've always liked watching fistfights on TV!"

"This should be Remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo laughs.

"I honestly don't care at this point," Mr. Contest sighs.

"Then this will be a 3-on-3 battle between Anthony and Willis with substitutions available, no healing items, and unlimited time! Let the match begin!" Vivian confirms.

One of the computer geeks in the background turns the screen into two halves, one with Willis' picture on it and three black circles for what Pokémon he's allowed to use, and the same goes for me.

"Go!" she starts.

"Combusken, I choose you!" Willis says, throwing his Combusken's Pokéball into the air and letting his Pokémon out.

"Treecko, let's give it our best shot!" I say. Treecko hops onto the field and puts a twig in its mouth.

"There we have it, folks! Tony is using his Treecko versus Willis' Combusken. Did he do this on purpose?" Vivian narrates.

"Ha! You're so dumb!" Willis smirks.

"Treecko, use Dig!" I yell.

Treecko digs into the field and waits for Combusken to make a move.

"Combusken, uh, use Rock Tomb in the hole to trap Treecko!"

Combusken grabs a bunch of random rocks and tosses them at the hole, but Treecko didn't even flinch from the dust that blew into the crevice.

"Now Treecko! Come up using Quick Attack!"

"Tree…cko!"

Treecko slams into Combusken quickly for super effective damage (plus priority), and then starts to Bullet Seed at its feet.

"Combusken, use Bulk Up!"

Combusken beefs its physical attack and defense up—but it's too late.

"Treecko, use Acrobatics!"

Treecko jumps in the air, landing on his hands, and them jumps again. He slams into Combusken so hard that the Young Fowl Pokémon faints upon contact.

"My Combusken?!"

"Treecko's impressive speed and power defeated Combusken without breaking a sweat!" Vivian continues. Willis, steaming, begins to raise his voice at her for making him look bad.

"Just my job," she smiles.

"Go, Shiftry! Use Whirlwind!"

Shiftry comes out and blow Treecko off the field and into my arms.

"Okay then, we'll try someone else! Makuhita, I choose you!"

"Makuhita!" it growls.

"Ha! A Makuhita? Please, Shiftry, just Razor Leaf it to death!"

"Shif-try!"

A group of sharp leaves comes right at Makuhita.

"Use Arm Thrust to block the leaves!"

"Ma-ku-hita!"

My Guts Pokémon slams its hands into the leaves, making them harmless. Now Makuhita comes running to Shiftry with an icy fist of mercilessness.

"Shiftry! Whirlwind!"

Shiftry uses Whirlwind again, sending Makuhita right back into my Pokémon.

"How is that even possible?!" I ask out loud.

"Whirlwind sends the opponent's Pokémon back and brings out another," he tells me.

"Go, Corphish! Use Bubble Beam!"

My Ruffian Pokémon comes out in a fit of rage, firing bubbles and then rocketing them with Crabhammer.

"Calm down! You'll overdo it!" I try to inform it.

"Phish Phish!"

Corphish comes in for a ViceGrip, but Shiftry knocks it out with a Razor Leaf.

"Now it is even—two-to-two! Who will win? Shiftry seems to be controlling the match!"

_Hmm…Corphish is unable to battle. Treecko and Makuhita are both tired. The only way I can beat a Shiftry would be with tons of luck…or accuracy drops!_ I think to myself.

"Go, Makuhita! Use Sand Attack!"

Makuhita kicks a cloud of sand around Shiftry, and the Pokémon's eyes are painfully closed with dirt inside them.

"Now, Makuhita! Arm Thrust!"

"Ma-ku-hita!"

Makuhita slams its arms into Shiftry's sides a few times, knocking it out cold.

"Shiftry, return!" Willis clenches his teeth.

"Now that Willis' powerhouse is gone, can he recuperate fast enough to win?"

"Go, Eevee! Use Quick Attack!"

Eevee speeds out of its Pokéball and knocks Makuhita straight out.

"Makuhita…return…" my shoulders fall and I'm upset.

"Looks like Makuhita was exhausted from all of the work with Shiftry! It is now tied up, folks! And Treecko has already battled Combusken, so is it too tired to continue?!"

"Treecko!" My Wood Gecko Pokémon snaps, jumping into the field and unleashing a Bullet Seed attack. Each seed goes _ping! _right between Eevee's eyes, but it muscles through and uses Tackle, which slams Treecko to the ground.

"I just got this Pokémon and it's already strong! I'm saving my best move, Return, for later!"

_Return is based on the happiness a Pokémon has with you, so it probably won't be that strong at all…so Quick Attack is the scariest move it has? Ha! _I figured it out!

"Treecko, run in close on Eevee and use Quick Attack!"

Treecko slams into Eevee, and then it uses Quick Attack on Treecko as well. Soon enough, the two attacks begin to collide into a stalemate.

"Now, Eevee—use Return!"

Eevee hits Treecko, but it doesn't do much. I notice how little health Treecko has and then think of the perfect idea.

"Just stand there Treecko!"

"Use Return again!"

"Just keep standing!"

"And again!"

Now Treecko begins to glow green—and my idea worked.

"Now—use Bullet Seed!"

Treecko's Bullet Seeds are twice the size, and nearly twice the power. They slam into Eevee's face and each one makes a big purple bruise on it.

"What the heck is that?" Willis shrieks.

"Overgrow," I sarcastically say, raising my eyebrows.

Eevee falls flat on its face unconscious, and Treecko comes over to me and begins to eat some Pokémon food.

"Well folks, that's all the entertainment for tonight! It seems to me that Marsh will win the ribbon and Willis owes an apology. What else will happen in the Travelling Contest Hall?! Find out when we run in through Fortree City in a while!"

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Silcoon_

"Houndour, use Roar!"

"Houndoouur!"

"Now try using Bite!"

Houndour comes over and bites me on the leg. My eyes grow huge and tears begin to sputter out of my eyes.

"Very good, Houndour! Now let go!"

Houndour cocks its head at me, and then tackles me and licks me in the face.

"Haha, okay, only two more moves to practice! Use Ember!"

Houndour breathes a small ember of fire, and that fire ignites a flower and burns it to shreds.

"Now use Smo—" I begin.

"Houndour!" it sinks its fiery teeth into a tree trunk, and when it lets go, the tree has black scorch marks from the teeth.

"Was that…Fire Fang?"

"Hound!"

I let Houndour eat while I work with the other two.

"Now Oshawott, try your Aqua Jet / Water Gun combo again!"

Oshawott begins to rocket into the air via jet stream, and then surrounds itself with a long torrent of water.

"Now use Air Slash to break the whole thing!"

Oshawott gets its Scalchop and slashes into the air, causing a slashing wind to break the water surrounding my Sea Otter Pokémon open and it explodes into the sky. Little glimmer drops of water come down, and I have to find a way to control it. Wait, Oshawott is able to learn Water Pulse, right?

"Now use Water Pulse to collect all the water!"

Oshawott gathers water vapor in the air with its scalchop, and then sends a small blue orb of water into the air, which explodes and sends the previous droplets of water flying farther into the sky. Because of their altitude, the sun is able to dry the droplets up before they hit the "crowd," which is just a bunch of logs I set up in the woods to pretend. I'm here to practice for the next contest—I will beat Willis.

"Okay Oshawott, you've earned your Pokémon Food!" I award my Pokémon.

"Now Silcoon, you're up!"

"Silcoon?"

"Okay, so you know Tackle, String Shot, and Harden. Let's practice your String Shot attack! So Silcoon, use String Shot!"

"Silcoon…"

Silcoon begins to spit silk into the air, but as it comes back down, the Cocoon Pokémon begins to glow white.

"You don't mean!" I gasp.

Silcoon opens out of its shell and soon a beautiful pair of wings appear. Then a long, black proboscis comes out (the curled up black thing), and finally two sea-blue eyes open up. The wings have red, yellow, and blue in them, and there are black antennae at the top of its head.

"Beautifly!"

"M-my Silcoon evolved! Into a Beautifly!"

I get my PokéNav out to see what moves it has now. Beautifly knows Tackle, String Shot, Gust, and Stun Spore.

"You're so beautiful!" my eyes glisten from the looks of my Pokémon.

"Beautifly, use your Stun Spore attack!"

"Beautifly!" my Pokémon whispers.

Beautifly sends a sporadic orange powder into the air.

"Now use Gust to control it!"

Beautifly flaps its wings, and the Stun Spore begins to move in the pattern of Gust.

"Now master it and make the Stun Spore surround you, and then make it disappear!"

Beautifly artistically is able to control the orange powder, and it begins to encircle her. Then she flaps her wings so hard that it dissipates into nothingness, and she String Shots into the air for a beautiful finish.

"That was amazing—here's your food!"

The trio of Pokémon gulp down their food, and then I hear footsteps coming up from behind me.

"I was wondering where you were. Are you okay from the theft the other day?" Maxie asks. He may be old, but he's kind.

"I'm…fine," I tell him.

"Are you training for something? If it's for a gym, that's fine. But contests…they don't like Team Magma in contests.

"I'm trying to get stronger!" I quickly lie.

"Wonderful. You and Terra are to leave Dewford at once. We have a new establishment in the sea next to Slateport City, but you will have to get there by boat. The Admin members are already at the base and we are waiting for grunts to join us. Farewell," he says, and walks away.

Why can't I just go with him? Oh well.

"Hey, Alex, I'm sorry," Willis tells me. What does he want now?

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

Sean and I have our bags packed and drag them with us. Treecko pulls a small bag filled with toothbrushes and other necessities. He and I just decide to keep our Team Aqua outfits on to scare people from asking us anything. Archie sent a message this morning to go to Slateport and give a female admin the capsules. Sean and I are ready to go.

"Okay Sean! We have everything we need and we can move onto Slateport City. From there we just go to Mauville and then we'll get to the Dynamo Badge!" I tell my buddy.

"That's right! I already rented a nice motor boat we can use to get there easily. I found and caught a Machop by the way," he brags.

"That's cool! Maybe mine can teach yours something now," I laugh.

I pay the man a little money (of what I had from when I ran from home) and we start the boat and are about to leave—but then I hear something.

"Sorry girls, those two kind gentleman just took the last boat. You'll have to wait for about three days," the old man says.

"Can't you give us something—a kayak? A raft? A life jacket to float on!?" a girl begins to freak out.

"I am not swimming to Slateport, Terra," a familiar voice says.

"Excuse me, but you girls can join us. We're heading to Slateport City in this boat," I kindly tell them. I can't see who the girls are since they are behind a wall, but they sound sincere.

"That's not a good idea, Tony! We don't know who they are!" Sean tells me.

"Pff. Please, have some common decency," I tell him.

"Oh thank you," the familiar voice says. Two Magma Grunts come around the corner—one of them Alex.

Alex stops, breathless, and looks at me.

"Thank you so much! I know you're from Team Aqua, but we need a ride and, I mean, we can't be rivals all the time!" the other girl smiles, and hops into the boat with her bags.

"Aren't you coming, Alex?" she asks her friend.

"_That's_ Alex, then?" Sean turns to me, concerned of their Team Magma outfits.

"You know we can't give _them_ a ride," he whispers to me, "right?!"

Alex stands there with a bright red face, and I sit in the boat exactly the same.

"Wh-why not?" I ask, already stuck with my nice qualities. Alex quietly steps in the boat with Oshawott and her bags, and she sits on the other side.

"This is going to be one very long boat ride," Sean says, watching Alex and I gawk at each other quietly. Treecko and Oshawott just kind of awkwardly look away.

He starts the boat and we tread the water—and just seconds of the journey feels like millenniums. Will this ever end?

[Credit to Drawknight for Willis]


	11. Out of the Swablu! Part 1

**Part 11**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita _

After vigorous hours of rowing the boat, the four of us, Treecko, and Oshawott meet an old abandoned ship.

"Did we drift off course?" Terra asks.

"Just a little," I tell her. While we stranded in the middle of the water, Sean and I may as well _try_ to get along with these Magma Grunts.

The Abandoned Ship was impressive—more like a luxury liner that started to sink in and was left vacant against a cluster of boulders sticking out of the water. The ship wasn't wooden; it was made of a strong metal. Instead of a leak or something, it appears that the vessel was…torpedoed. I wonder if this could be the…nah, just a sheer coincidence.

"Let's get out of here, it's spooky. The fog around this boat is creeping me out," Sean whines. Terra agrees. The two of them begin to pick up the two wooden oars.

"Wait! It could be an awesome experience to see this ship! Plus, there could be some good Pokémon aboard!" I remind them, but it doesn't seem to be effective on them.

"You know, maybe we can find some treasure left on as the boat was sinking. That's completely possible," Alex suggests, and that seems to do the trick.

"Treecko!" my Pokémon cries in excitement.

"Fine, but we're splitting up into Aqua and Magma. We'll meet each other back here in an hour," Sean mutters.

"Fine by me," I say, and I call out Makuhita.

"Makuhita, I want you to Vital Throw me aboard the deck of that vessel, go it?"

"Ma?" it confusingly asks.

"Are you out of your mind? It could crush you!" Terra gapes.

"Makuhita, do it!"

Makuhita lifts me up and tosses me aboard the front deck of the boat. Treecko gets thrown and lands on my face. Once my Wood Gecko gets on my shoulder, I look down below at the rowboat in the sea.

"It's the only way," Alex shrugs, holding Oshawott, and allows Makuhita to pick her up, and sling her over its head onto the boat.

_Smack! _She lands harshly on the same level.

"I'm okay!" she mumbles.

Sean and Terra then follow reluctantly. Once they're aboard and in ship-shape, I recall Makuhita and stuff the Pokéball into my pocket.

"What about the rowboat? Won't it float away?" Sean asks me.

"Well if it does, I'm sure we can find more on this ship," I tell the group. It seems like a decent answer.

"Come on, Tony! We're going left. _Team_ _Magma_ (he says this with a disgusting taste in his mouth) can go right," he spats, obviously ticked that I persuaded him aboard.

"Whatever," I mutter, and as my group and Alex's split up into different ways, losing view of one another, I think about how I'd rather go with her to explore then Sean right now. At least she's willing to actually look. This may be the ship I'm thinking of! That memory…I'll never forget it. I clutch Treecko tighter as I think of the worst moment of my life. Then I remember that I'm exploring, not lying in self pity.

As Sean and I walk around, I hear a small cry in a pipe extending two feet above the deck's ground. I look inside and put my arms in, and then gently lift whatever is in the tube.

"Swa…Swablu?" the Pokémon faintly whispers. Its wing has a bruise on it, and its head is burning with a fever. I look to see Sean throwing up over the edge of the railing. Sea sickness.

Treecko comes around my waist to see the Pokémon I'm holding. It can tell the fluffy bird is very sick. This bird has a blue body, with white, cloudlike wing puffs extending from it.

"What is that Pokémon?" I ask out loud, and then my PokéNav gives me a short description about how Swablu likes to land on people and act as a hat!

"Sean?" I whisper. He keeps walking, unaware of the recent scenario.

"Sean!"

"What, Tony? Dang, I'm trying to think here," he grouchily shouts.

"Yeah, well give me a hand! I need to find an infirmary quick for this young Swablu!" I cry, swaddling the Swablu in my arms as a mother does her newborn child. Treecko hops on my shoulder and tries to steady the Swablu's mind.

"Just leave it, it's mother will help for sure," he insensitively ends the conversation.

Suddenly a gust of rage hit me, and I begin running a marathon to save this Swablu's live.

"Forget its mother, we need to help this Pokémon or it will die!" I scream, and I run with my Pokémon and the sick, hurt Swablu towards a flight of stairs just yards away.

"T-Tony? I'm sorry, I'm just…just scared," Sean cries out, adding that he can't find me. I don't care though. I just keeping running.

I probably should be rational about this situation, but you see—when a Pokémon is in danger, no matter what it is, no matter who owns it, I have to save it. So I keep sprinting to find a medical room with my Treecko and Swablu. We keep running through the fog. I don't look down. I don't look up. The problem is, you should always look down at what you're running on. For me, I just ran straight into a dark hole. I fall hard with Treecko and Swablu, and then fight between consciousness and its opposite to save Swablu. I will save this little cloud-parrot.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

"Let's find buried treasure!" I yell excitedly.

"It can't be 'buried' on a ship, unless it is 'buried' underneath clothes or something," Terra points out. She's so lame.

I begin to jog ahead of Terra, despite my weakness of making irrational decisions by myself. I have Oshawott clutched in my arms still, and I'm force-feeding it handfuls of Pokémon Food to keep myself calm (and to which Oshawott replies angrily with a Water Gun to the face). After a while I lose sight of Terra as I glance from behind. The idea of hidden treasure excites me.

Upon my running I encounter a small aperture in the wooden deck.

"Bottoms up!" I shout, thrusting my body and Sea Otter Pokémon into the hole and down onto the lower level.

I land not on my bottom, but rather on my side. The dust from my impact rises into my eyes, and I squint them shut in response. As I climb to my feet, I sit down, leaning against the wall, and breathe in heavily. Terra runs beyond the hole, unbeknownst to her of my decision to jump. Oh well, there needs to be _some_ excitement in life.

. . .

Sean can't find his friend Anthony. Despite Team Aqua being sea specialists, he has no way of telling his location, time, and general direction in this thick fog. He continues running until he begins to turn right, where he begins running where the Team Magma girls started off. His plan is to get those two to send out their Pokémon and the three of them find Anthony. However, of course, his plan fails as he finds Terra lost as well.

"I can't find Alex!"

"Seriously? Tony got lost too! I'm not sure where he could have slipped off to, since there weren't any real passageways to go through," Sean tells her.

The two of them decide to backtrack to the rear of the ship—where they find a flight of stairs.

"After you, m'lady," Sean whispers quietly.

"N-no, I insist," Terra cries out.

The both of them decide to walk down together to find their friends. Now they just have to listen for voices.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

I walk around with Treecko and Swablu in my arms, the former keeping the latter from fainting.

"Just a little while longer, I saw a sign saying the infirmary was this way," I inform Swablu, and it lets out a feeble whisper.

"Swa…" Its forehead is scorching hot.

"Ah!" I say aloud, finding the door labeled 'Medical Room.' I open the doorknob and find that the light is solar powered upon looking up. Too bad I don't have a fire-type. In the dark, I find an Oran Berry and have Swablu eat it to regain its strength.

"How are you doing, Swablu?" I ask it earnestly.

"Blu…Swablu…" it weakly whines.

"I know, but it will get better soon. A fever like that just needs to be cured with a Rawst Berry. I'll find it," I reassure the Cotton Bird Pokémon.

I hear someone coming in the room, and I put Treecko down on the small table Swablu is on.

"S-Sean, is that you?" I gasp, fearful to learn the true identity of the creeper.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

I limp to the Medical Room with Oshawott. My foot is hurting, so I'll need to wrap it in something to keep it from bleeding. I may have fallen on some glass. Oshawott and I leap in, but it appears that someone is already in there.

"Terra?" I whisper.

I crack the door open and I see someone; the both of us scream our heads off. Then I slowly open my eyes wide open (from where they were still encrusted with dirt around the edges) and see who it is…it's Tony!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

After the introduction of screams, Alex sends out her Houndour to use Ember on the solar-powered light fixture—and it glows brightly. I glance outside the door to see this is room 10B. Three rooms to the left. But first…

I examine Alex's foot. There are small pieces of glass protruding from the wound, so I find some tweezers and pluck them from the skin. Upon removing the glass, I wash the cut out with disinfectant and wrap it in a cloth. Very soon the white fabric became pink with blood. Later I have to re-clean the wound and replace the cloth.

"Thanks," Alex smiles as her foot gets treated.

"How do you know so much about healing and cleaning wounds, if you don't mind my asking?" Alex curiously asks.

"Oh, no problem. You see, my mother works at the Daycare Center near Mauville City. Back when I stayed with her in Littleroot Town, she taught me how to patch up and clean wounds. She has her own little clinic at the Daycare Center," I explain to her. I miss my mom so much.

"What about your father?"

"My Dad…I don't remember too much about him. All I can clearly remember is him being a very skillful trainer. When I was little, my parents and I went on this cruise ship to Slateport City—from Dewford Town. Apparently it was attacked and we had to evacuate the ship. However only a few were able to board the lifeboats; some didn't make it. My father…he wasn't in my lifeboat, so I'm trying to see if he was as well. My mom figured he didn't make it like the rest of them, and two weeks later she was forced—_forced_—to be married to this big oaf I hate talking about. He abuses her, and threatens severely about calling the cops," I sigh.

"So you think your dad's still alive?"

"Well, I'm investigating for a reason—this ship is the _very_ _one_ that I lost my dad on. I want to see if he's still in his room…but of course he would be…"

I see Alex thinking to herself about something. She must be relating my troubles to her own personal experiences.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

Anthony's story is perplexing; why would no one come to investigate the ship sooner? What is the name of this cruise liner? Then I think about the part about his dad…and how he honestly wants to meet and have a real father back in his life, while I take my own father for granted and get mad at him for supporting the family. Should I even be on this journey; I have no purpose to keep on. I guess I just need to stick with Team Magma a little while longer…

"What room were you in?" I ask quietly.

"Three rooms to the left of this one; room 13B," Tony mutters, working with that Swablu's wing.

I just now notice that he's trying to nurse a Pokémon back to health. How could this honest, kind-hearted guy be working for the exact opposite team as I am; the evil team…I mean, it's not like I'm oblivious to the fact that Team Magma isn't completely innocent, but we're trying to keep the land from plunging under a rising sea level. Isn't that the right way to go?

"Swablu has a severe fever," Tony shyly stammers, red-faced and eyes concentrated anywhere _but_ me.

"Do you have anything for that?" I ask.

Tony doesn't answer me, but he does search the small medical room for supplies. He truly wants to save that Pokémon.

"My dad is too busy for me; he is the CEO / President of the Devon Corporation; my dad's name is Steven Stone. My mom isn't dead, but she's unable to come back to Hoenn. She won an all-expense-paid trip to Unova, one of the newer regions, and she took the prize with a happy farewell to us for three months. However, she's stuck in Unova. She didn't have a passport, so she has to build up residency there for about half a year more in order to fly back to Hoenn. So I'm stuck without my mother and with my sleep-deprived father," I explain to him.

"At least you know both of yours are okay," Tony sheepishly replies, trying to find the wound on Swablu's wing. He finds it and puts this cream on it, then slaps a band-aid over it.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

After our heart-to-heart conversation about our parents, I find that Swablu's fever is scalding hot.

"Treecko, can you get me an ice pack?" I ask my Pokémon.

Treecko crawls on the shelf with different medical instruments and finds a small ice pack. I place it on Swablu's head and it cools instantly.

"Swa…"

Alex looks over at Oshawott and picks it up, hugging it.

"Osha!"

Down the hallway, I hear a faint _boom! _as something comes towards the room I'm in. It doesn't sound like a human—so what could it be?

"Swablu? Blu, blu!" Swablu flutters its wings in distress; it must recognize the sound.

. . .

Sean and Terra walk down the hallway after reaching the end of the stairs. Along the walls there is graffiti spelling "Keep Out" and drawings of small green mushrooms.

"What could this mean? I thought no one has investigated this ship before?" Terra asks aloud.

"Maybe they're saying watch out for the 'shrooms?" Sean jokes.

"This is no time to laugh. Let's just keep go-ING!" Terra shouts as she trips over something small.

"What's wrong?"

"I-I tripped over something," she stammers.

"Mish!" the small thing cries, and unleashes a green substance into the air.

"That's a Spore attack! Terra, run!" Sean screams.

He runs down the hallway without looking back. Then he reaches a bend and hide behinds the corner. He decides to glance at where Terra is.

Terra is knocked out on the floor.

"Mish!" the thing shouts again, and then delivers a Headbutt attack at Terra's body—knocking her around the floor.

Eventually it decides to call two other of its kind to help pick up Terra, whose consciousness is lacking.

"Terra!" Sean screams.

However, the Magma girl has been taken captive by these things—Pokémon?—and it appears that she's not going to be given back.

"T-Tony! Alex?!" Sean yelps, running from door to door in search of his friend and acquaintance.

. . .

To Be Continued.


	12. Out of the Swablu! Part 2

**Part 12**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

Something is banging on the door to the room, and there are marks on the door to prove the effectiveness.

"It sounds like something small is using Headbutt or something," Alex suggests, clinging to Oshawott.

"Then we'll need some time for strategy. Makuhita, come on out and keep the door closed!"

I call out my Pokémon, and the yellow sumo wrestler gets into position to keep the door closed.

"What now? We'll just run out of air?" Alex sighs.

"Blu…"

"HELP!" a scream can be heard down the hallway.

"That sounds like Sean," Alex informs me, and I agree.

"Here, leave this to me. When I say go, Oshawott, I want you to swing the door open!" I tell the crowd.

"Ok. Makuhita, return! Go, Oshawott!"

Makuhita is outlined in red, then zips into its Pokéball. Oshawott opens the door as it was told.

"Treecko, use Quick Attack to make a path for us down the hallway! Three doors to the left!" I yell.

My Wood Gecko Pokémon is amazing fast—all I can see is a white streak going across the room. The small, rounded creatures fall over as Treecko zips past them.

I pick up Swablu and a couple of berries, then run after Treecko. Alex and Oshawott follow close behind.

"This idea was great!"

"We're not out of it yet! Have Oshawott use Water Gun!"

"You heard him, Oshawott!" Alex smiles.

"Osha!"

The creatures are moved back even further.

Alex, Treecko, Swablu, Oshawott, and myself are all accounted for in the room. I shut and lock it. The room has two beds, both with yellow sheets (that aren't molded or anything!), cabinets along the walls, and a nice desk and closet. Sean's sitting on the first bed with Surskit, but he recalls it once we come in.

"Nice of you to join me," Sean says, panting. He had ran into the room before Treecko attacked.

"You made it!" I laugh.

"Where's Terra?"

"Those things…they attacked Terra. They put her to sleep and dragged her off. I barely made it myself," he whines sheepishly.

But I'm not listening anymore. Treecko is tending to Swablu, and Alex and Oshawott franticly listen to Sean's story. I'm looking around the room, which is 13B, and I find something that touches me deeply.

"It's…a picture," I whisper.

Alex focuses back on me and looks at the picture too.

There I am, several years old, with a Pokémon egg in my arms. It was Treecko's. Dad had bred it for me alone. Looking up, I see my beautiful mom and my impressive dad—he just looked like a tough trainer.

"_That's_ your dad?! But he's—" Alex starts.

"Don't tell a soul. I don't even know what happened to him. I want to find out on my own," I snap.

Headbutts can be heard at the door. Everyone begins to panic, and I hatch another plan. Swablu's fever is getting worse without the medical supplies. I see an air vent near the floor.

"Treecko, I want you to use Dig and tunnel your way through that air vent and to the medical room with Oshawott and Swablu. Take care of it, I'll meet you there. Sean, you can go in the closet and hide since you're about to pee yourself. Alex, the two of us will fight them—if that's okay," I suggest.

"Fine by me! Oshawott, you heard the man!"

Treecko jumps into the air vent and begins to dig through debris and sand that has washed into it. Oshawott follows him, holding Swablu tightly.

"Swa…" its eyes glimmer at me. What a sad little bird.

. . .

_**Treecko**_

_This section is translated from the language Pokémon speak into English. _

Swablu's fever is getting worse. I have to do something, or I will have failed my trainer…

The three of us, including Oshawott and Swablu, have made it through the vents and found our way back to the medical room—shut and locked up perfectly.

"Okay, I'll lift Swablu out of the vent first, then you. Then I'll climb out, okay?" I nervously begins to sweat.

"Yessir!" Oshawott pretends to be tough (probably to reassure itself) and helps me push Swablu out of the vent and into the room. Oshawott and I later hop out and put Swablu on the table.

"Now, I'm going to need some berries—Rawst Berries. I remember my trainer saying that those berries cure burns and fevers," I order.

"Yes Treecko!"

"I'm so weak…your trainer…tell me about him…" Swablu says feebly.

"He's the best trainer in the world. He isn't my master. He's my friend. Any Pokémon would be lucky to spend its days with Anthony!"

Oshawott guards the door now as I have found the Rawst Berry.

"Eat this," I tell Swablu.

"Thank you, Treecko. You and your trainer have been so…nice to me. Thank you," it begins to cry weakly.

"It's not over yet, just you wait," I enlighten it.

Banging on the door can be heard—it's from outside. Oshawott cries in panic. Looks like I'm the only brave one again.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

After the overwhelming amount of these Pokémon, called 'Shroomish,' decided to gang up on Alex and myself, we were forced to head to the closet temporarily. Inside is another air vent, which is perfect for Treecko to come back through.

"What are we going to do?"

"We can try and fit through the air vents," Sean asks.

"Are you stupid? That's the easiest way to get under the conditions of the Shroomish's Spore attacks!" Alex reminds him.

"Let's just wait for our main Pokémon to come back," I tell the two, and the answer seems to be satisfying.

So we wait about 45 minutes and then a sound comes from the vents—Oshawott and Swablu come through. Swablu seems to be feeling better; its fever has gone down a little and the bruises on its wings are healing.

"Wait, where's Treecko?"

Swablu looks sadly at Tony, and then a flashback of the previous events comes into its mind.

. . .

_**Treecko **_

_This section is translated from the language Pokémon speak into English. _

The three of us were getting ready to head back to Tony and the others. Swablu carries an ice back on its head and Oshawott helps it walk.

"We're going to get hurt, or die! Hurt or die! Hurt or d—" Oshawott panics.

"It will be _fine,_" I assure the group.

The door breaks open right as I say that.

"Look, Oshawott! Send Swablu through to the room and I'll keep them distracted! Swablu! Anthony's heart is pure gold; he only joined Team Aqua because he has a bad childhood! My Master—no! Friend!—is the best person you could ever meet. He will take care of you. Tell him I saved you both!" I shield the vent as Oshawott and Swablu reluctantly venture through.

As these disgusting Pokémon come in—Shroomish, a pathetic excuse for a grass-type, if I do say so myself—they spray their Spore powder into the air. I cover the vent and begin using my newest move, Acrobatics, to defeat the Shroomish.

However my power alone isn't enough to stop these…things. One whiff of their Spore knocks me out, and I begin to lose my eyesight as I drift off to sleep…

"T-Tony…I'm sorry…master…"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

By the reaction on Swablu's face, I can tell that Treecko saved the others from these Shroomish. I pick Swablu up and keep it in my arms.

"What are we going to do?"

"Well, Alex, you have a fire-type Pokémon (Houndour), and Sean, you have a flying-type (Wingull) and a Bug-type (Surskit). You two have enough super-effective power to destroy this group, use it! I will find something to cover Swablu up. It may be running a fever, but I think it's freezing. I'll find something to cover it up!" I direct my orders.

Sean and Alex jump out of the closet and battle the Shroomish, but eventually each of their Pokémon are put to sleep.

"Return, Houndour!"

"You, too, Wingull and Surskit!"

"Tony, we don't have much we can do!" Sean cries out.

"They're spraying their Sp…ore…on us…" Alex falls asleep, but manages to recall her Pokémon.

"SHROOM!" one giant Shroomish screams out loud, and the rest attack Sean. He's blocking the closet door as I wrap up Swablu and find something peculiar in the back of the closet.

"It's…a Pokéball?" I ask confusingly. The back of the ball is labeled 'Premier Ball.' I wonder what that's about. It's white with a red interior…

"Tony! Alex…was hit…by Sp…sp…spore…" Sean recalls Surskit and thuds to the floor asleep.

I ignore them and look at this ball. This…this ball was held by my father. It's empty. I'll keep it and capture something special.

I turn back around to see everything gone—Sean, Alex, and the Shroomish. Swablu is nestled in my arms asleep, and I slip the ball in my pocket. Then

"Swablu, we've got to save some friends," I say to the Pokémon. It yawns and turns around in its sleep. Then I spy something hiding under the bed. Lifting the covers, I snatch what is underneath.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

My vision slowly fades in, showing me being dragged by Shroomish across the floor. We go into a room and I'm hit with a Stun Spore attack; paralyzed.

Then the Shroomish use Leech Seed on me, sucking me dry of my health—and sticking me to the wall. I glance around to see Terra and Treecko as well. Treecko's in a cage, though; Leech Seed doesn't affect him.

"What are you going to…to do to us…" I stammer.

"Mish!"

I pass out.

. . .

Sean wakes up moving—he's being pushed along the floor.

"G-go, Surskit. Use Signal Beam…" he mumbles.

Surskit escapes from its Pokéball and slaps the Shroomish carrying its owner with a super-effective attack.

Sean sits up, dazed, and says, "Go, Pokéball."

The Pokéball flickers three times, and then stars appear—signaling a successful capture. He recalls Surskit and begins running back to his friend.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

Oshawott comes out from under the bed.

"Osha! Oshawott!"

Sean then runs in and says something about Alex being kidnapped by the Shroomish.

"Can you show us where?" I ask him.

Treecko must've been as well then. I have to devise a plan to lure the Shroomish out of their hiding. What would the cast of Scooby Doo do? Ah!

"Sean, you will be used as bait!" I announce charismatically.

"WHAT?! Those things have almost gotten me twice!"

"Third time's the charm," I smile, and he knows he's in for some fun. "Fun."

. . .

"Here, Shroomy, Shroomy, Shroomy!" Sean mocks.

"Be sure to shake your tail!" I laugh.

Let me explain. In some of the nearby rooms, I was able to find some things fit for a costume. In one room, I found a green barrette that fits Sean's head. In that same room I found green tights as well. In another, I was able to snag some red gloves and red flip flops. A tan ski mask was in that room as well. The hardest part was the tail for this costume, so we had Sean lean up against the wall.

What Pokémon could I possibly be talking about? Ha! I had Sean dress up as a Breloom—to act as the Shroomish leader.

"I will _never_ live this down. This has to be the worst plan you've had yet," he tells me. I laugh.

"Quick, I hear something! Start speaking in Breloom!" I whisper, then hide.

A dozen of Shroomish skirmish into the hallway upon hearing noises, and they all act suspicious upon meeting "Breloom."

"Mish? Shroomish?"

"B…Bre-loom?" Sean confusingly asks, unknown as to what he said.

"Mish!" Shroomish shouts, unleashing a Spore attack. Sean falls to the ground and they take the costume off to find him. The Shroomish then carry him away.

"I hope this was your plan!" he screams, and is taken down the hallway into the darkness.

All that's left: Swablu, Oshawott, and me. The three of us slowly follow the sound of the Pokémon, and eventually we begin to hear noises of our friends.

. . .

Sean almost immediately wakes up from his attack. Unable to fight the stiffness in his appendages, he drops each of his Pokéballs off one by one. First Surskit's, then Wingull's, Machop's, and Shroomish's.

"_Let's hope Tony's smart enough to find the trail," _he thought.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

As we begin walking, I feel of Swablu's fever—it's gone. Swablu is now only recovering from its sickness. If only I had an Oran Berry with me. My bag doesn't have any more healing items; I ran out of those early. As long as we keep walking, Swablu will eventually gain more health.

"Osha?"

Oshawott picks up a Pokéball. I decide to click it open and see what's inside.

Out pops a familiar thing; a small, blue water-spiderlike Pokémon belonging to my closest friend; Sean.

"Return," I tell it, and in the Pokéball it goes.

Soon after I pick up one containing A Wingull, then a Machop, and then a Shroomish. I guess Sean caught one in the struggle. With Swablu in my arms, I keep running towards the noise.

. . .

Oshawott waddles into a nearby room upon hearing something inside. Inside it finds a shiny silver key, and grabs it. However, behind the key, Oshawott finds another Shroomish—and it uses Giga Drain, knocking Oshawott out. The Pokémon is now being dragged via another route, and will surely be sucked of its energy before anyone can save it.

. . .

_This short section is translated from Shroomish's Language_

A Shroomish looks up at its prisoners; two girls, a fake Breloom, and two Pokémon. Seeing the boy outside and the symbol on his bag brings back memories.

"Vengeance will be ours, Team Aqua!" it shouts, and then continues to drain the children of their energy.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

Swablu and I move on from Oshawott, realizing that it was taken by Shroomish, and keep going. Eventually we enter the room where our friends are stuck to a wall.

Swablu hops down and begins pecking at the ground franticly, getting very nervous and upset.

A Shroomish comes up behind the weak Pokémon and begins to unleash an attack.

"NO!" I scream, and I dive onto the ground in between the two Pokémon, and the powder of Spore knocks me out on the spot. The last thing I remember seeing is Swablu struggling to wake me up.

Barely awake, I find myself dragged across the dusty floor and thrown onto a wall. I'm then sucked of my energy while also being stuck. Glancing up, I see my friends.

"Well…at least I…was able to…to see them…again," I stammer, and then yawn and pass out.

. . .

Swablu realizes that its newfound friends are in danger. However, it knows exactly what to do. Swablu never has been a real fighter; it's been the healing Pokémon—the one you need once you're beaten badly, or when you need someone to cheer you up.

"Blu…?" it cries. Several Shroomish encircle it.

"Swablu!"

Swablu dives into the air and unleashes a Mist attack, which brings a different use than the usual—the air in the room becomes thick and it's hard to see. Swablu climbs to the ceiling, where it can see everything from the top. Then it uses Heal Bell, which awakens everyone from their sleep.

"What happened?" Terra asks, slumped over on the floor.

Swablu then uses Aerial Ace to cut the Leech Seed and pop Treecko's cage open. Each person and Pokémon stretches, and then is ready to battle the Shroomish.

"Treecko!" I shout to my partner, and it jumps into my arms as I hug it.

"Oshawott!" Alex screams, running to her Sea Otter Pokémon.

Sean and Terra look at one another awkwardly, and then shake hands.

"Okay, Treecko! Get ready! Go, Corphish! Makuhita!" I shout, angry at the actions of these Shroomish. We did nothing to them!

Swablu comes down onto my shoulder happily, and looks at my other Pokémon with jealousy.

"Treecko, Bullet Seed! Corphish, Crabhammer! Makuhita, Arm Thrust!" I shout.

Treecko spits a stream of seeds at Shroomish, Corphish smacks them with its claw, and Makuhita slams them with its hands. Even Swablu joins the fun with a powerful Aerial Ace attack.

"Get ready Oshawott! You too, Houndour! Beautifly!" Alex yells, tossing Pokéballs into the air.

"Now! Use Water Pulse, Ember, and Gust!"

This combo, combined with Swablu's Hyper Voice, sends even more Swablu flying in the air.

Sean and Terra watch awkwardly.

The two combos, together, knock out every single Shroomish in the room.

"Can I have my Pokémon back?" Sean asks sheepishly.

"Sure, why not?" I laugh, tossing them to him.

"Wait, guys. Look at this—it seems that this room is where the Shroomish were being held captive," Alex informs us, reading a plaque labeled on the door. It says:

_Shroomish Storage. Stolen Pokémon being sent to Slateport City_

_-Team Aqua_

"Those Pokémon must have been stolen from their trainers by Team Aqua years ago, and then once the ship was torpedoed, they were abandoned and upset! They must think that we're here to hurt them!" Sean concludes.

"That's why, when I came in earlier, the ship is called the _S.S._ _Aqua_. And you know, since the ship was attacked, and the ship was owned by Team Aqua…I bet Team Magma was the true culprit of the torpedoing itself!" I say.

That means that Team Magma is responsible for the disappearance of my father. Wherever he is, whoever he is now…I just want to see him again.

The Shroomish begin to wake up. Once we are able to tell them about what happened, the group of Pokémon seem to understand the situation and they leave quietly.

Finally, the mystery of the attacking Shroomish has finally been solved!

. . .

As we board our small rowboat with medical supplies and satisfied faces, my group and I wave goodbye to Swablu and the Shroomish. I'm going to miss that Swablu…at least I was able to make it healthy again. Whatever caused it to get hurt and sick…I hope it feels guilty for what it's done.

As we begin to float off in the waves, I begin to have tears swell up in my eyes. That little Swablu grew on me…I wipe the tears and keep waving. The others are paddling now. I see Swablu perched on the railing, calling loudly to me…

. . .

_Swablu's point of view_

I watch the single most kindhearted trainer float off, and remember the several different stories told about him.

"_Look, Oshawott! Send Swablu through to the room and I'll keep them distracted! Swablu! Anthony's heart is pure gold; he only joined Team Aqua because he has a bad childhood! My Master—no! Friend!—is the best person you could ever meet. He will take care of you. Tell him I saved you both!"_

_..._

"_How are you doing, Swablu?" _

"_Blu…Swablu…" _

"_I know, but it will get better soon. A fever like that just needs to be cured with a Rawst Berry. I'll find it,"_

_..._

_And then…he even saved me when I was attacked by that Shroomish, risking his own life for mine…_

_..._

Do I really want to leave that?

No.

"Swa! Swa!" I cry out, "I'm coming, Tony!"

Anthony looks around with tears ready to come down his face.

"Swa! Swablu!"

I land on his head and perch, content with my choice of trainer.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita_

I laugh as Swablu nuzzles my head happily.

"Looks like you found a new hat," Sean says.

"And it found a new trainer, too," Alex smiles.

"I think that means it wants to join you," Terra tells me.

"I-is that true, Swablu?" I ask, hesitant.

"Swablu!" it squeals cheerfully.

Thinking back to the Premier ball, I'm sure this Pokémon was meant to live inside of the ball.

"Well Swablu, if you truly want to!" I laugh, and tap the ball on Swablu's wing. Swablu gets outlined in red and zips into the Pokéball. I got a new Pokémon!

Treecko grabs the Pokéball and places it in my bag with the others. But I get it back out and let Swablu perch on my shoulder a little while longer. Treecko gets my left shoulder, its personal preference.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

"_Wow, Tony is a really sincere Trainer…with both Pokémon and people…" _I think quietly to myself.

Maybe, just maybe…he is the one person that could truly get me. But I guess that will have to wait for another time.


	13. All in a Nut-Shelly!

**Part 13**

_**Anthony**__: Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

"Land! Precious Land!" Sean screams, kissing the sandy beach of Slateport City.

Our small boat finally reached the shore after hours of paddling. I slump over in the sand with Treecko and Swablu, both of which are eager to go play in the sand.

"Sounds like a plan to me!" I say, and toss the other two Pokéballs into the air. Corphish and Makuhita are sent out to go play around in the sand.

I look over to see Alex and Terra walking away.

"You two aren't going to let your Pokémon out?" I ask them.

"Right now, I need a nap. Call me back when I actually feel good," Terra snaps.

"We're tired and I have a contest tomorrow, so we're going to go rest before doing anything," Alex tries to explain.

"Um, Anthony," Sean whispers, "now that we're on land…they're Team Magma again. And we're Team Aqua. I don't think it's a good idea…"

I guess he's right. We _are_ rivals again. 

So I let my Pokémon play in the sand while I go change into some swimming trunks behind a large boulder, where no one can see.

"Did you honestly just change right in front of everyone?"

"No one could see anything, I was completely hidden. Why don't you get your sour butt over there and do the same! Loosen up!" I laugh, and I begin to mess in the waves. After all the stress and hard work, this is fun!

Sean goes to change behind the giant rock, and then someone comes up near us.

"Oh, hi," the woman smiles, "welcome to Slateport City! Did you take the cruise ship here?"

"Um, no. We took a small wooden boat," I inform her.

"_We_? I only see y—AAHH!" the woman runs off screaming in terror at Sean, who is still behind the rock, but pokes his head out.

"Was it something I did?"

"_Probably_, Sean," I laugh, knowing that she saw something disturbing—whatever she did see.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly _

After some rest, I finally was able to slip out of the Pokémon center room in civilian clothes with Oshawott.

"Before I train for the contest, maybe I should call Maxie?" I ask myself out loud.

I get my PokéNav out and click his name on the contact list.

"Hello? Is this Alex of Team Magma?" he says, his red hair all frizzed up from a nap.

"Yes! After some struggles, I finally managed to make it to Slateport City!" I reply.

"Wonderful. Everyone else is having problems getting there. Today, you can have off. You see, nothing is going to happen until tomorrow night!"

"What _is_ going to happen?"

"You'll see. Just meet me at the Oceanic Museum, which is near the Harbor. If you see anyone from Team Aqua, exterminate them. Immediately," he gravely whispers, and then cuts off communication.

"Just one problem. The person I see from Team Aqua is the one person I _couldn't_ get rid of," I sigh, and then watch Oshawott splash around in a small puddle.

Now that I've checked in and got to rest, I'm ready to practice my contest moves! My contest is tomorrow morning! Before I go shopping in the Slateport Market, I decide that I'm going to go out and train contest moves on the beach.

I walk down to see an amazing ocean view, and I decide this is the best place to train anyways.

"Oshawott, I want you to first use Aqua Jet, then use Water Gun as you spin!" I say.

Oshawott repeats its usual technique, but feels nothing new and shrugs off its amazing feat.

"Okay…um…what now?"

_Clap, clap, clap! _a sound can be heard nearby, in a lawn chair.

"Miss, I loved your performance with that Oshawott. Are you entering it in the contest?" a man asks me.

"Why, yes I am, thank you. Are you?"

"Oh, no. I'm too old for that, now. My friend Juan takes over for me. I just roam freely, looking for good coordinators. I noticed that your Oshawott seems to be bored doing the same technique," the man continues.

"Yeah…I guess so," I shyly admit. Maybe Oshawott is using the same move combo too much.

The man I'm talking to is amazing. He seems like he should be in a contest himself—a professional! He has turquoise eyes and hair, and his hair zigzags out to the left and right. He wears a white cape and purple pants.

"Here, I'll help you. Have your Oshawott watch my Pokémon," he tells me. I tell Oshawott to watch him.

"Go, Milotic! Use Water Pulse, then Icy Wind!"

A beautiful serpent of the sea emits from the Pokéball. Its amazingly long body, red fins draping low, and scaly tail create a captivating sight. And it hasn't even moved yet!

"Milotic!"

Milotic does the usual Water Pulse, but freezes the wave of water with an icy attack, freezing it on the spot.

"See? You can then use your Aqua Jet to slide about the icy field, and you can even use a physical attack to destroy the ice. This should leave the audience breathless," the man smiles.

"Okay, Oshawott! We're going to learn Icy Wind!"

The man begins walking away after returning Milotic.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you: the Slateport Contest may use a double battle process, so you'll need more than one Pokémon to train," he advises, then exits.

"Well, looks like we've got plenty of training to do. Houndour, Beautifly, come on out!"

I throw some Pokéballs into the air and prepare for some fun.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

"That's right, Archie. We've made it to Slateport City!" I speak into the PokéNav.

"Great, kid. Tomorrow's a big day for Team Aqua. I expect you and Sean in ship shape for the raid on the Oceanic Museum. This is a big mission—there is the simple part and the exclusive part. Which do you want?" a voice remarks.

"I'll take the exclusive one! I'm itching to battle, and I'm in need of some training!"

"Well okay then. Right now, just train for tomorrow. Good work, 1st Class Grunt!"

Ahh…first class. One more step and I'm up to admin position!

"Have you delivered the capsules?"

Dang it, I knew there was something I'd forgotten.

"Not yet, where should she be at? The admin?"

"Eh, go check the shipyard. She should be loitering over there. Remember, this town is afraid of Teams Aqua and Magma. Be careful," he says, and then cuts off connection.

I leave the Pokémon Center and walk with Treecko over to the Shipyard, where this female admin should be.

"While we wait, Treecko, do you want to train some?" I ask.

"Treecko!"

I call out my other three Pokémon and we begin to work on ours moves. Treecko begins to develop a Dig/Quick Attack combo. Swablu practices controlling Mist, so that way my Pokémon won't be blinded by it.

"Very good, Swablu! You're getting the hang of it!" I encourage my Pokémon.

"Swa!"

Makuhita is using a TM disc I gave it (that Archie gave me) to learn Brick Break. It begins to crush boulders and smash things. Eventually, Makuhita slams its fist into itself and falls over unconscious.

"There's always room for improvement, I guess…"

Corphish decides that rather than Harden, it wants to learn Protect.

"Treecko, use Bullet Seed! Swablu, Hyper Voice! Makuhita, Brick Break!"

Corphish begins to make a small force field to protect it from attacks. Treecko's seeds bounce right off. Swablu's Hyper Voice is bounced into an incoming tourist. Makuhita…hits itself with Brick Break again. Ugh.

"Hey, that wasn't half bad," a female voice comes up from behind me.

"Thanks, I've trained them myself," I reply.

"Haven't you thought of evolving them?"

I guess I haven't thought about it. I mean yeah, they'll get stronger, but what if they don't want to?

"I think I'll let them decide when it's right," I say, and then ask her of her name.

"My name is Shelly, one of two Admin at Team Aqua. I'm guessing this "hotshot" new grunt is you, then?"

"That's right!"

Shelly has bright red, long, puffy hair that goes down to her elbows. She wears a bright blue Aqua suit, with the logo bandana and has a mouthpiece to the side of her ear.

"So, kid. Do you have the works?"

The works. If she wasn't talking about the capsules from Rustboro City, I'd be thinking she meant…

"Yes, I do. I'll get them," I quickly tell her, grabbing my bag and searching for them.

"Are you going on the special mission tomorrow?"

"Planning on it, the boss gave me permission to," I say, still looking through.

"Aha! Here you go," I shout, giving her five bottles of who-knows-what.

"Excellent. Even if these didn't lead us to Kyogre, they would make efficient decoys to fake out Team Magma!"

"I was wondering something, Shelly," I continue, and she looks up from the vials of liquid.

"Huh?" she questions.

"Can I have a battle? I just caught two more Pokémon not too long ago, and I want them to be used to the battling environment," I explain, itching for some fun.

"I've got some time, why not?"

"Ready, Treecko? This one'll be tough!"

"Tree!"

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly _

"I think I'll use Oshawott and Beautifly in the contest tomorrow," I tell the trio.

"Hound…" Houndour seems upset.

"Oh, no! Don't cry! It's okay, really!" I try to reason with it, but the Pokémon is just too upset now.

"Houndour…why don't we try teaching you a stronger attack?" I suggest, and that seems to be okay.

_Let's see. I know Houndour can learn Faint Attack, but that has the same power as Bite. I'll teach Houndour that and…I'm not sure…wait! Dad!_

"Houndour, do you want me to teach you a super-secret move that none of the others know?"

"Dour!"

"Come with me!"

Oshawott practices its Icy Wind on an Water Pulse, and then dances on it with Aqua Jet. Beautifly uses Gust on Stun Spore, but doesn't know what to do. I come around a rock with Houndour.

"See this big boulder? You're going to crush that!"

"Hound?!"

"Watch this video Dad gave me," I tell it.

I pop a small CD into the PokéNav and it begins playing a small video.

"_Hello, honey. If you're watching this, that must mean you have some interest in one of my favorite moves! Well here I will teach your Pokémon, whatever species can learn it, Iron Tail. Now, Pokémon. I want you to watch my Aggron smash a boulder with its tail!"_

_A Pokémon in the back can be seen with a glowing tail, slamming it into the rock and breaking it to pieces. _

"_See that? Now it's your turn! Replay this video as much as you need to learn the move! Good luck, honey!"_

The video cuts off, but after watch it for two hours, Houndour finally is able to make its tail glow and smash the boulder.

"Nicely done!" I cheer, and it jumps on me and licks my face.

"Now, can you also learn Faint Attack, instead of Bite?"

Houndour, after another hour, is able to disappear for a second, and then reappear in a faint embodiment. After that, it slams into the foe at full force, and recollects its color.

"Good job, Houndour!"

All that's left is Beautifly. After another hour (this makes almost 5, counting Water Pulse / Icy Wind / Aqua Jet) of hard work, Beautifly learns Silver Wind and Morning Sun.

"Again, Beautifly! Use Silver Wind!"

Beautifly gusts its wings, and the wind from its wings creates a small silver tornado, enveloping Beautifly in it. I gasp, and then get desperate.

"Now use Morning Sun!"

Beautifly thrusts a ball of light up through the small tornado, and the light bursts into a sparkling dazzle—destroying the tornado and bringing Beautifly to daintily absorb the orb of light.

"That was…amazing!"

Finally, contest material!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

"Let's battle at the beach, I have water-type Pokémon," she says, and I agree.

Yes! Water-types are weak against Grass-types.

"Let's begin!" I shout. I'm on one side of the beach, and she is on the other.

"Go, Pelipper! Let's finish this up fast!"

Pelipper, huh? Let's see…for a Pokémon that travels through the air, I may have problems battling something I can't hit. So Swablu would be the best choice I guess.

"Swablu, I choose you!"

Swablu comes out of its Pokéball and perches on my head.

"Not much of a battler, is it? Pelipper, let's start this off with a Water Pulse!"

Pelipper swoops down and emits a blue orb into the ocean, creating a giant wave coming right at Swablu.

"Now use Surf on the wave!"

Pelipper lands in the water and surfs the waves to Swablu.

"Swablu ,use Mist!"

"Pelipper, use Rain Dance!"

Swablu creates a misty atmosphere, but soon it begins to downpour.

"Now, Pelipper! Use Hurricane!"

"Hurricane?!" I cry out, watching my brand new Pokémon scream in sheer terror.

Pelipper flaps its wings together, and about and several strong gusts of wind protrude from the wings; most of which form tornadoes. These tornadoes envelope Swablu, and once they dissipate, you can see the Pokémon unconscious in the sand.

"Swablu…return. You did good, I pushed you too far.

A small noise comes from Shelly's pocket.

"Uh, hey. Let's just declare this battle unofficial because I have to leave," she says, and begins to get ready to blast off. She returns Pelipper.

"Next time, I won't lose," I remind her.

"Yeah, that's what Team Magma says. But they leave every time. I'll believe it when I see it. See ya later, shorty! I'll be back in time for the raid tomorrow! Wake up bright and early!"

She blasts towards Dewford Town without looking back.

"Did I just lose?!" I ask myself once it dawned on me.

I run to the Pokémon Center and run back.

"Okay guys, get ready for crazy-hard exercise! A one and a two! One and a two!"

My Pokémon try to understand, but each one gets tired soon enough.

"We're never going to get the Dynamo Badge with that attitude! Now run back and forth across the sand. Swablu, you fly!"

My Pokémon rebelliously walk back and forth, and eventually they all fall over exhausted.

"Okay, we'll take five I guess," I sigh.

We've got lots of work to do.


	14. Prepare to Meet your Houdoom!

**Part 14**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndour, Beautifly_

"Come on, Oshawott! We need to go register for the contest!"

My Sea Otter Pokémon and I rush out of the Pokémon Center, in civilian clothes, and run up to the Contest Hall, which is at the back of Slateport City. I rush in and go up to the receptionist.

"Am I too late to enter the contest?!"

The brown-haired, older lady looks at her watch and says I have three minutes.

I swipe my Contest Card, which I got back in Rustboro City, and enter in—making myself able to join the Slateport Contest. Looking in my guide book, this ribbon is supposed to be bright yellow in respect to the lighthouse that guides ships.

"Well, well, well!" a voice comes up behind me.

"Looks like the hottie made it to Slateport. What brings ya here, honey, are you here to steal all the Pokémon!" an annoying voice teases me.

"Oshawott. Icy Wind this stupid child."

"Osha!"

Willis is frozen into a giant block of ice.

"Stay cool," I say, and Oshawott and I go into the Coordinator Waiting Room. As I go in, I see someone peculiar.

"S-Sean? What are you doing here?"

Sean looks up, yelps, and runs off. He quickly walks back to explain himself.

"Don't tell Tony! Please, please, please! I just want to enter with Surskit!" he whines, obviously scared.

"I…won't?" I tilt my head, but the Pokémon Contest is about to start. I don't see Marsh anywhere.

"Okay, folks! The Slateport City Pokémon Contest is about to begin!" Vivian Meridian says to the camera.

"First off will be the preliminary appeal rounds. Each trainer must select one Pokémon and dazzle the crowd! Out of the thirty possible points our judges will make, each coordinator and his/her Pokémon will be graded on their performance! The top 8 trainers will make it on to the first round!" she explains.

"Now, our trainers from left to right are…Mr. Contesta!"

An older man waves his hand and gives the Contest Hall a "howdy doo."

"Mr. Sukizo!"

"Ree-markable!" a stout man says.

"And our very own Nurse Joy, from right here in Slateport City!"

"Nice to meet you and your Pokémon!" says the familiar, pink-haired nurse.

"Now with our introductions, we will first introduce Willis and his Duskull!"

Oh how I can't stand that child. Surely he will lose. After a quick break at the bathroom, I find out that Willis made a 26.5, which is semi-decent considering his last score.

"Next up is Sean and his Surskit!" Vivian continues.

Sean comes out in an aqua-blue costume, and his Surskit slides across the floor and onto the stage.

"Okay, Surskit! Use Quick Attack around in a circle!"

Surskit begins to spin donuts on the brown stage floor. The crowd looks from side to side in confusion. Suddenly a small dust tornado emerged from the flying debris.

"Now, Surskit! Use Hydro Pump!"

Surskit shoots a flow of water into the tornado, causing it to pick the water up and absorb it. This is called a water spout.

"Sean has developed a cleverly thought-out combination of Quick Attack's speed and Hydro Pump's power!" Mr. Contesta roars.

"Now, use Aqua Jet to run inside the water-tornado!"

Surskit swiftly glides into the twister, and it is lifted up to the top by winding up the sides of the mass of water.

"Is Surskit okay?" Vivian asks out loud, and the audience wonders, too.

"Now, Surskit! Use Shadow Ball down in the center!"

Surskit creates a shadowy mass of energy, and because of it being on the top of the water spout, it is able to thrust the orb down into its middle. The water spout explodes, and a slight mist erupts onto the field, causing a field of vapor to cloak Surskit as it lands. Once the mist clears, Surskit is shown using another spinning Quick Attack, however it is much weaker and the Pokémon is able to spin into circles—and then jumps and lands in front of Sean.

From the screen in the Coordinator Waiting Room, all I can say is "Wow." I stroke Houndour as it watches carefully

"This man truly is a genius!" Mr. Contesta screams with a standing ovation.

"Quite remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo agrees.

"I must admit that at first I was unsure of what he was trying to do, but Sean and his Surskit proved that they can make and break something in little time—while also pleasing the crowd. With this attitude, you two can certainly be heading to the Pokémon Grand Festival!" Nurse Joy compliments drastically.

_Certainly_ in the Grand Festival? Sean ends up getting a perfect 30.0. Looks like I'll be having stiff competition…

"Next up is our last coordinator, Alex from Rustboro City!"

I run up to the stage with one of my Pokéballs. I look to see that I brought out the wrong one—I got Houndour's!

"Uh, go, Houndour!" I shout. Once my Pokémon comes out, it looks at me in disbelief.

"Hound?"

"Y-yes, you're in the competition. You can do it though! Let's show them what you can do!" I tell it, and Houndour nods.

"First off, use Ember!"

Houndour emits a few embers from a fire, but they burn out on the ground.

"Um, try using Iron Tail?"

Houndour slams the ground with its tail, but nothing works. I begin to panic.

"Booo! You stink!"

"Go back to High School!"

"This is a Pokémon Contest, not a Pokémon Failure Fest!"

I begin to have a red face when Houndour nudges me.

"What is it, Houndour?"

Houndour goes from my leg to the field, and then closes its eyes. I'm confused.

"Dour!"

Houndour begins to glow white; its tail gets a little black triangle at the end. Its midsection buffs up in appearnce. Houndour's snout grows larger and curved horns come over its head as ears.

"Hound-doom!"

"There we have it, folks! Alex's Houndour has evolved into a Houndoom!" Vivian gasps.

"Houndoom?" I ask, and it looks at me, smiling.

"Right, Houndoom, use…Ember!

Houndoom emits an abundance of flames over twice the power Ember could ever achieve.

"Whoa…" I look at my PokéNav. Houndour just got some upgrades.

"Houndoom, use Shadow Ball!" I shout. Houndoom must have paid attention to Surskit.

Houndoom emits an orb of ghostly energy.

"Now Flamethrower!"

It then begins a spinning trail of fire, which envelops the Shadow Ball into a great ball of fire.

"Now, use…whoa!" I gasp.

Houndoom knows this near-impossible move to get. Only Move Tutors are supposed to be able to use this move. One day, my father did tell me a story.

"_Hey honey, when you get your first Pokémon, I want to tell you something," Steven Stone whispers to me._

"_What is it, Daddy?"_

"_Sometimes, Pokémon learn a move they usually cannot. Sometimes they learn it in dire situations, and sometimes they learn it for their trainers. For example, my Bronzong isn't able to learn Iron Head outside of me teaching it, which I hadn't, but when I was battling a member of Team Plasma, who came here to steal my fossil research, it learned the move just to help me defeat the force of evil. Pokémon do entirely unimaginable things for their trainers. So if one ever does that for you, I want to hear the whole story!"_

"_Yes, Daddy, when I'm a big girl, I'll let you know!"_

…I was seven.

"Houndoom, use Dark Pulse!"

Houndoom emits a dark ray of evilness, covering the flame ball and turning it into a black flame. From there, Houndoom uses Iron Tail to destroy the ball into nothingness.

"That was very cool!" Mr. Contesta remarks.

"Ree-mark-able!" Mr. Sukizo continues.

"I must say, your shaky start turned into quite the excitement with the evolution of your Houndour!" Nurse Joy smiles.

"There you have it, folks! Alex and her Houndoom have received praise from the judges!" Vivian laughs out to the crowd.

As the judges decide my score, I figure now is the _perfect_ time to congratulate my Houndoom.

"H-Houndoom…"

"Hound?" it asks.

"I-I underestimated you. You're…amazing, Houndoom. You will definitely be in my contests! I'm…I'm so sorry," I begin to cry, and Houndoom nuzzles me and licks my face.

"The judges have made their decision!"

The score above them shows a 29.6. That's almost perfect! I beat Willis!

Houndoom and I excitedly run off stage to the Coordinator Waiting Room. While the top eight are being shuffled for the next round, I figure that now is the time I should brag to Willis. I walk over to him, the blonde in his miss-matched clothes, and pat him on the back.

"Don't worry, you'll make it to the top tier next time," I laugh, and his face turns red.

"Look, the top eight!" Sean says from behind me, stroking his Surskit.

The top eight are Sean, me, a man, a woman, Willis, two other mysterious people, and a little girl. I'm paired up with the girl and her Solosis. The two of us have to go first.

I run on stage with Oshawott in my arms and send out Beautifly, while she sends out her Pokémon.

"Beautifly, use String Shot!" I command.

Beautifly wraps the opponent up in a web.

"Now use Silver Wind!" I yelp, and Solosis is One-Hit-KO'd by the one singular attack…

As Oshawott and I run back, eager to be in the semifinals, we watch the remaining performances.

"Surskit, finish this up with Shadow Ball!"

Surskit knocks out a Larvesta with its last attack. Sean moves on as well…

"Duskull, use Shadow Sneak!"

Duskull creeps up on an innocent Lampent, and knocks it out from inside its shadow. Willis has made it as well.

Now the final four: Sean, me, Willis, and a girl. Of course I end up getting the girl and end up with no fun. At least this is the Double Battle stage. The final stage is as well.

"Go, Piplup and Pachirisu, the spotlight's on you!" the blue-haired girl quietly says.

"Come on out, Oshawott and Beautifly!" I call.

Oshawott hops out of my arms, and Beautifly out of its Pokéball. They stare at the blue penguin and the white-and-blue squirrel.

"Let's see, it looks like Alex is at the disadvantage. How will she respond with this typing arrangement?" Vivian annoyingly becomes biased towards this girl.

"Good luck," the girl says.

"Uh, you too?"

"Pachirisu, use Spark on Oshawott! Piplup, use Hydro Pump on Beautifly!"

Sparks and water fly from the girl's side of the field, so it's my turn to act.

"Oshawott, use Air Slash on Piplup! Beautifly, use Stun Spore on Pachirisu!"

Before the Spark attack can hit Oshawott, Beautifly paralyzes the Pokémon with a powdery substance. Oshawott then jumps over Pachirisu and slashes the air, creating a force of wind that knocks into Piplup.

"Now, Piplup! Use Drill Peck! Pachirisu, use Sweet Kiss!"

"Oshawott, use Icy Wind!"

Piplup, once hit, became very slow. It slowly ran to Oshawott, and my Pokémon was able to slam it with an Aqua Jet. Pachirisu stood paralyzed, and Beautifly had the shot to defeat it.

"Now, Beautifly! Use Silver Wind!"

A wind wisps through the air, hitting Oshawott, Piplup, and Pachirisu for damage. Suddenly, Beautifly looks in better shape than ever.

It proceeds to use Silver Wind again. Oshawott manages to dodge by using Aqua Jet, outspeeding the attack and missing it. The other two Pokémon fall over unconscious. I just realized—the game is over and I never watched the point bar slowly decline. My points were still perfect; the girl wasn't able to land a hit on me. I expected Oshawott's damage to count, but it didn't.

"Nice job," the girl says.

"Thank you!"

"Folks, despite Beautifly's gambling Silver Wind, Oshawott was able to survive! Alex is our winner! She will advance to the finals!" Vivian shouts, and the whole crowd roars wildly. Finally, I'm going farther in contests.

In the Coordinator Waiting Room, I thank the girl and sit by Sean.

"I have to go now. You were great. Wish me luck!" he smiles, and then walks out of the room.

I watch the screen. My "friend" Sean and enemy Willis are about to face off. I think I know who I'm rooting for.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

As I walk down the market, I keep glancing back at my watch.

"Treecko, we have ten minutes before our secret raid on the Shipyard. Is there anything you want to look at?" I ask my green friend.

"Tree…Tree-cko!" Treecko gasps, running to the Pokédoll stand.

"Tree!" it shoves a Skitty toy in my face.

"Treecko, I am not buying you a pink cat toy," I facepalm.

"_Tree_!" it argues.

"Fine I'll buy you the stupid toy!" I yell, and shove a wad of cash in the seller's face.

"Thanks for suckering my Pokémon!"

The man looks at Treecko and mumbles, "That one wasn't for sale," and begins crying.

Treecko, myself, and Treecko's toy keep walking down the Slateport Market.

"Here's an Expert Belt I can buy Makuhita!" I tell Treecko, but it is captivated by this plush toy.

We walk by this stand with scarves. There's a plaque beside the display. It said _"Pokémon Scarves raise a Pokémon's contest abilities. Blue raises Beauty. Green raises Smartness. Pink raises Cuteness. Red raises Coolness. Yellow raises Toughness." _

However, I notice two other scarves. One that I looked at had the word "Silk Scarf" sewn into it. Also, I find one called a "Choice Scarf." I purchase everything he has because I kind of want to give the scarves to Alex, to raise her contest abilities.

"That'll be $1 million," he smirks.

"Uh," I panic, looking for money. I've come up with about $300…

"Would you take this Skitty doll?" I ask.

"Ooh! A Skitty! Yes!" he snatches it out of my hands.

"Treee!" my Treecko cries.

"Treecko, now snatch that doll out of his hands. Use Quick Attack so he doesn't see," I suggest.

"Tree…cko!"

Treecko speeds over to the man and takes the doll in his hands. The old pedophile begins to cry out that a ghost took it. When Treecko comes back, it's nuzzling its doll. What the heck has gotten into the thing.

"Four more minutes," I tell him.

We walk through the market some more, and in the final stand there is a smiling woman.

"Hi, I'm new to this bazaar," she smiles.

"Oh, I'm a newcomer. I'm from Littleroot Town," I say.

"I like your Treecko," she continues, staring down.

"Yes, yes. It seems that you _are_ the trainer I've been looking for. I have two TMs, one is still used today. The other is not, so I'll have to teach one of your Pokémon. Would you like me to?" she asks.

I nod yes, and she gives me TM Hidden Power.

"That attack varies in typing and power. It all depends on your Pokémon. Anyway, this other attack is called Secret Power. Ever since the Unova region, this attack has mysteriously disappeared. However, Hoenn is the region proud enough to still use it!"

That's cool—a rare attack?

"Now, the neat part comes: this attack can make secret bases throughout the Hoenn region. Small indentations in the wall, tall trees, and giant bushes all can be hollowed out to make bases!"

Bases? That would be perfect for Team Aqua.

"I'm in!"

So for about two minutes she shows my Makuhita how to use Secret Power. Makuhita then begins to slam into tables.

"Maku-hita!"

"Makuhita, return. Ugh, what am I gonna do with you?" I sigh.

"Psst," a voice emanates from beyond the market.

"Are you ready for your mission? Shelly and I are waiting for you," Matthew, the first admin I've met, tells me.

"Yeah! Ready, Treecko?"

"Tree!"

"Then let's get started! First up, we're going to have to kidnap the captain," he tells me.

Kidnapping? Hardly sounds like saving the seas…

"Um, sure," I shrug, and Treecko and I follow our friend from Rustboro City.


	15. Sea Scoundrels and Land-Lubbers

**Part 15**

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

"Surskit, use Shadow Ball on Duskull! Shroomish, use Spore on Combusken!" Sean cries.

Surskit throws a black orb at Willis' newly-caught Ghost-type Pokémon, and it hits the Pokémon hard. Sean's green mushroom puts Combusken to sleep with a powerful Spore attack.

"Now, Shroomish! Use Bullet Seed on Duskull! Surskit, Hydro Pump Combusken!"

Combusken gets knocked out flat, without even getting to move.

"What?! Is that even fair?" Willis shrieks.

Shroomish spits a stream of seeds at Duskull, plopping into the Requiem Pokémon and knocking it out as well.

"This means that Sean will be making it on to the finals as well. Stay tuned for the exciting battle between Sean of Oldale Town and Alex of Rustboro City!" Vivian continues.

"Remarkable!" all three judges say, and Mr. Sukizo has a grin on his face.

I'm still in the Coordinator Waiting Room in the back. Sean won without losing a single point…this is going to be a long, hard match. As I see Willis come back upset, I secretly enjoy his pain.

"You probably secretly enjoy my pain," he tells me.

My face turns red from him reading my thoughts. "Whaaat? Me? Enjoy your pain? How uncouth of me!" Oh this is too good.

Sean comes back with his Surskit and Shroomish, congratulating them on a job well-done.

"Looks like we're in the finals," he mumbles, and I nod.

After a few minutes, I decide that I'll be using Oshawott and Houndoom. Houndoom can keep up with the pace, and Oshawott will have time to set its trap.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

I follow Matthew to find Shelly leaning up against the Shipyard's outer wall.

"Hey, squirt," she smiles.

"Hi Shelly," I sheepishly mutter. I'm still upset about losing.

"You two know one another?" Matthew asks, and I notice that his hair is gelled again.

"Yeah we met last night," Shelly tells him, "but never mind the introductions. We have a mission. Here we go. Matt, I want you to distract the captain. Tony, you go and make sure the place gets evacuated at the sight of an Aqua Admin. That's when I'll come up from behind and gag him," she decides.

"Right!" we both agree.

Shelly takes me in the back way of the Shipyard. There are tons of old rickety boats and parts of new cruise liners, all displayed outside. Matt goes in the front way. Immediately, a red light flashes and a siren can be heard. Shelly tells me that they've tested it, and the ground floor can't hear the siren. That's where Captain Stern's workroom is.

We rush in the back way as everyone swarms out. She continues running as I begin to look for brave stowaways.

"Hello?" I ask out loud.

"Shh, they'll find us!" a scientist tells me from under a desk.

"I'm…I'm one of them. If you want to go, do it now. Now's your only chance, or they'll lock you up too and throw away the key," I panic.

"You said _they'll_ lock me up. Now _we'll_. You're not one of them, are you?"

My face turns red and I get angry.

"J-Just go. Now. Get out of my sight!" I bark, and the man scurries away like the rest of them.

"Tony, down here!" a voice screams from downstairs.

"The captain is missing, but the security cameras don't show him leaving. Where could he be…" another one, probably Matt, continues.

I run down the steps of the Shipyard and find that the two of them are just standing there depressed. I stand with them. The room is filled with desks and boat designs and math. There are papers scattered _everywhere_. Suddenly, I hear a small noise.

"What was that?" I ask.

"Huh?"

"Clamperl, use Water Gun!"

A random Clamperl shoots out and begins to attack.

Treecko hops off my shoulder.

"Treecko, deflect it with Bullet Seed!"

Treecko manages to ruin the surprise attack, and Captain Stern reveals himself while returning his Clamperl.

"What on earth do you want?"

"You know what we want. You're coming with us!" Matt yells.

"No, I mostly certainly am not!"

"Oh really? Go, Walrein! Use Yawn!" Shelly smirks.

A giant blue blubbery creature comes out of its Pokéball. The tusks on this thing are huge—they could break ice!

"Waaall!" it yawns.

"Haaa," Captain Stern yawns too, and soon after falls over asleep.

"Return, Walrein!"

Matt picks up Captain Stern's body and slings it over his shoulder. Shelly congratulates him on losing some weight.

"Haha, very funny. I'm physically fit for a reason," he says.

As they carry it out, Shelly tells me that they'll explain to Archie how I protected them from harm. They bid me farewell and walk away with the body casually. I guess people are used to it nowadays.

Wait, where's Sean? He's going to miss the second part of the mission!

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

"It seems that these two trainers are tied in competitive abilities!" Vivian observes, seeing at the scoreboard.

The bar shows halfway gone for both of us, but he has the edge by a millimeter.

"Houndoom, use Dark Pulse on Surskit! Oshawott, use Water Pulse on the ground!"

Houndoom causes Surskit to flinch from such a powerful attack of dark rays, and Shroomish misses its Headbutt attack because Oshawott dodged it.

Oshawott floods the ground in a pulse of clear water.

"Now use Icy Wind!" Houndoom, use Flamethrower on yourself to keep warm!"

Houndoom stays warm even though the ice begins to freeze everything. Even its feet aren't frozen. Shroomish and Surskit begin to slide.

"What's your big plan? Making a skating rink?" Sean laughs.

"It seems that Sean has used Alex's strategy to its own advantage!"

Oshawott, use Aqua Jet on Surskit! Houndoom, Flamethrower Shroomish!"

"Shroomish, dodge it! Surskit, Quick Attack to match its power!"

Oshawott and Surskit hit head on. Houndoom misses its attack and causes a small part of the ice to melt. Plus, Houndoom is having problems on the ice, slipping and sliding. I need some sort of tractions, or drag…or…ah!

"It appears that Houndoom is having problems with the change in scenery!

"Oshawott, I want you to use Aqua Jet to jump on Houndoom! Houndoom, use Iron Tail on the ice as Oshawott keeps you two powered up!"

Oshawott uses Aqua Jet to escape Surskit, and then lands on Houndoom. From there, it begins to have Aqua Jet envelope the two of them—but not hurting Houndoom—to bring them into a priority combo. Houndoom uses Iron Tail to create drag and control where they move, so now Oshawott and Houndoom have created a water-fire combo in the idea of a racecar. They slide around the ring, and Oshawott repeatedly uses Water Pulse on the two of Sean's Pokémon, who look confused as my Pokémon continue to slide around.

"Surskit, use Shadow Ball! Eventually you'll hit them!"

Surskit uses Shadow Ball in the same place, and it does hit Houndoom. Repeatedly.

I'm running out of points, and if I don't think of something…wait! This will end the game.

"Oshawott, Aqua Jet more, but rocket off of Houndoom and towards Surskit! Houndoom, sling your Iron Tail around you, to create a spin. Keep doing that for a few minutes!"

Surskit launches more attacks, but they fail. Shroomish tries to use Spore, but its opponents are just too fast! The crowd is going wild! The judges are on their toes, screaming from left to right in excitement!

Oshawott is in the air, right above Surskit. Houndoom is still spinning in a circle, while outlining the circular field as well. This can be compared to the Earth rotating on its axis, but still revolving around the sun in an elliptical pattern.

"Oshawott, now! Use Air Slash on Surskit! Houndoom, use Flamethrower on yourself and then head to Shroomish!"

Surskit can't dodge this. Oshawott uses its Scalchop to slash the air, creating a powerful force of wind that slashes onto Surskit quickly. Oshawott lands on the ice, spinning and then raising its Scalchop up proudly.

Houndoom uses Flamethrower to create a donut on fire. Kind of like a sideways Flame Wheel. Then it crashes into Shroomish, and Houndoom uses Iron Tail on the ground to sling it into the air and right beside Oshawott. It uses Flamethrower in the air to signal its easy victory.

Surskit and Shroomish fall over unconscious. Time is up. I…I won!

"After a very impressive victory, our winner is the ice-water-fire combination and its master, Alex of Rustboro City! You have won the Slateport Ribbon!"

I actually did it…

"That was an amazing display of your abilities! You have definitely marked your name down in my memorable coordinator book!" Mr. Contesta laughs.

"That was…more than remarkable?! It was five times as remarkable as expected of this. I am completely...you're….REMARKABLE!" Mr. Sukizo continues.

"I've never seen such a thoughtful display of your talents. You truly deserve this ribbon. Looking forward to seeing you in the Grand Festival!" Nurse Joy concludes.

_Looking forward to seeing you in the Grand Festival._

They think I have the skill!

. . .

I run out of the Contest Hall with my yellow ribbon. I'm ten minutes late for the raid! I find Terra outside the Oceanic Museum

"Where have you been?!" she asks.

"Got the ribbon!" I cheer.

"Good thing Maxie didn't notice you were gone, or you'd be kicked off and on the streets!"

As we wait our turn in line for the Oceanic Museum, I notice people on the rooftop.

"Who are they?"

"Aqua…"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

Sean finally joins me on the rooftop and says he overslept. Weird…he wasn't in his bed this morning. Oh well.

We get a laser beam and create a small hole in the rooftop. Aqua gadgets are so cool.

Sean holds the rope as I climb down and into the museum. We mapped it out perfectly—I'm in the custodian's room. Sean comes down as well.

"What are we looking for?"

"Well I'm not sure what exactly it is, but it should be good," I tell him.

Shelly and Matt are still gone, but I remember Matt saying something about a Blue and Red Orb. Which one controls Kyogre?

"I hate this Abra!" one Aqua Grunt shouts from around the corner. Sean goes to see what is going on.

I continue looking. I find this hemisphere (half a sphere) in the back of the room, but it's green. It seems to…twinkle at my eyes. It's labeled "Not Worth Museum Material." It must be a dud. It just seems to be something…of importance to me. I get my bag and Treecko opens the case and takes the half-orb. I slip it in there just as Sean comes back.

"I just traded my Machop for an Abra! Too bad I'll have to trade it again to get it to evolve, and then trade it again to keep it. Oh well, it's a good deal!"

"Yeah, that's great," I shrug his excitement off as I lift my slightly-heavier bag. Treecko hops back on my shoulder.

"Are you ready to leave? This place has been a bust," I tell him, and he nods.

We climb back up the rope and didn't get caught at all..

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

I'm inside with Terra now. Nothing so far. Team Aqua's already gone. Everyone was driven out by Tabitha, who scared them away with threats and warnings. Oshawott got scared too, but I told him it was okay.

I decide to stay on the ground floor and look at the collection of novels. After looking at all but one, I pull the last one off, but it was stuck—it's a lever. The bookcase opens up and I look around, seeing no one near me, and slip in. Time to see what Stern's hiding.

The only thing inside is a desk with half an orb on it. There's a book inside with Stern's writing.

"_Day 4: I have decided that this half of the orb matches with the other half of the one on the top floor. I marked it as not viewable so people don't look at it. I plan on putting the orbs together and maybe stop Team Magma and Team Aqua in their tracks." _

I slip the orb in my bag and slip out, tell Terra there's nothing here, and run out of the museum with Oshawott, hiding my find from anyone else.


	16. I'm Budew-ing the Best I Can!

**Part 16**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

"That's right, you are on the list for the next Team Aqua Admin! You just have to surpass the other three people, and then you'll be ranked up to the highest extent possible. Let me warn you; being an admin requires dedication. That means not only are you going to have to give orders, but you have to make up your own orders as well—and some of them will not be good," Archie warns me.

"Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself no matter what the ranking is," I reply through the PokéNav.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

"You showed amazing time management with your contest and the takeover, therefore I will grant you permission to join these contests, even though I usually forbid them. Be careful, child. Your true destiny of Magma Admin is not too far away. Don't mess it up," Maxie exclaims.

Through my PokéNav, I retort, "Please, Boss! Terra and I have everything completely under control. Don't worry about us!"

"Your next destination is…"

. . .

_**Both**_

"Mauville City. Through there you will pass a desert and a fiery path, and then you will reach the next target—Mt. Chimney. Further instructions will be given when you arrive," the PokéNavs say.

. . .

_**Tony:**__ Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

Sean and I, with Treecko on my shoulder, head off in the direction of my third badge. As we walk, Pokémon run to and fro, frolicking in the path and enjoying the stream of water nearby.

"Are we there yet?" Sean whines, but stops quietly as Treecko glares at him.

"No. Not even halfway. In fact, we have stepped only _five yards _from Slateport City. Do you think that Mauville is just a step away?"

"I…I was hoping," Sean suggests, and Treecko slaps him with his tail. I laugh.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly _

"Ready to head toward Mauville City?" Terra asks me as we step out.

"No. We're taking a detour to Verdanturf Town. Surely we can find some sort of route leading straight there," I say.

"First of all, we have to _get _to Mauville City to _get _to Verdanturf Town. Second, why?! Maxie told us to go on through!"

"There's a contest in Verdanturf Town. Besides, Maxie gave me permission for a reason," I shout.

We finally lose the view of Slateport as we turn our backs, and Oshawott gladly begins running around.

"Oshawott…wait up," I pant. We've gone so far already.

Next to us is a stream, flowing with lily pads, currents, and…Pokémon in distress? I can hear a faint Pokémon cry in the river.

"What's going on?" Terra questions as she catches up.

"I'm going in!" I yelp, and then shove my Magma bag at Terra and dive into the water.

"What the heck are you doing? Are you drunk or something? That current will wash you away!"

"Come on Oshawott," I panic in the water.

Oshawott lets me grab hold of it, and Aqua Jets to the sound I keep hearing.

"Bud…Budew…"

Budew?

Oshawott stops speeding through and lets me grab the small green Pokémon. Once I've got it, Oshawott steers us back to the trail and I thrust my body against the ground. My clothes and hair are wet. I open up my arms to find a brightly-colored floral Pokémon. It seems to be a baby…

"Buh?! Budew!" it runs away scared.

That's kind of sad, I liked the little Pokémon. Now that I'm a hero, we keep going and find a small island in the middle of the stream.

"Oh, no! No no no! I will not let you die because you're excited! Curiosity killed the c—" Terra chants.

I simply swim through the current now; it's so much weaker. Oshawott comes behind me. Terra, although reluctant, agrees and swims. We carry our bags on our backs so they don't get wet.

As we finally reach the island, I read a plaque beside the buildings nearby.

"_New Mauville: Wattson's idea to move the town and help the children have fun! Failure rate: 100%"_

"_Weird," _I think.

"What is it?" Terra asks.

Oshawott comes up and grabs onto my leg. I tell them out it appears to be a complex built to function as another town, or of an amusement park of sorts. Although confusing, it does sound interesting.

"Torb!" something screams as we approach the building.

Several Voltorb, Emolga, Luxio, Blitzle, and Plusle & Minun swarm us, attacking us with electrical attacks. Oshawott falls over unconscious. To our backs reveal Chinchou and Stunfisk, both Pokémon in the water, but are still electric-types. We're surrounded.

"Emol?" Emolga asks the crowd.

They all prepare an attack much stronger than Thunderbolt…they're charging up a mega-blasting Thunder attack to finish us off!

. . .

"Budew…Bu-dew!" Budew sings, floating down the river again.

Little does that girl know, it was singing. Budew hears some screaming coming from the small island. Slowly but surely, Budew floats to the island.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

"HELP!" I scream as the electric-type Pokémon fuse their Thunder attacks together. Suddenly, a Jolteon appears and takes control of the orb. It lifts its head up, as if to signal the slingshot effect of the ball of energy, and then snaps it back at us. The electric orb comes closer and closer.

"Bud!"

Something shields us. Something small—Budew.

Suddenly, the sky gets very bright. The sun intensifies. Not only does Budew begin recovering all of its health, but it automatically launches a large beam of light from its bud to the electric ball, which disintegrates upon contact. Knocking out every Pokémon but the Emolga, Budew knocks even the Jolteon out of its wits.

"Molga!" the Pokémon lunges at Budew.

"Budew!" I scream, warning it.

The Pokémon looks up to see an Aerial Ace coming to crash into it.

"Go, Pokéball!" Terra shouts, and captures the Emolga in a ball. One, two, three shakes!

"That is one angry Pokémon," I sigh, and watch the Budew heal itself more with Synthesis.

"Thank you so much, Budew!" I smile, and hug the Pokémon it happily smiles. The little green bib makes it look just like a baby!

. . .

We move on from the water where we crossed to get to New Mauville, and continue on in search of Mauville City.

Behind us, albeit unbeknownst to us, Budew slowly follows—eager for something.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Makuhita, Swablu_

"What _is _this place?" Sean asks as we reach a giant gray building.

"If I remember correctly…it's the Trick House. Every year they do this massive series of games to have a winner with prizes," I explain.

"Sounds like fun! Can we join?"

"It's probably not open. What are the odds of tha—" I'm cut off.

"Are you two youngsters here for the Trick House?! Ohoho! You are in for a treat, lads! I am the Trick Master, at your service," a crazy old man with a cane walks up. Maybe he's advertising something

"What do we have to do?" I ask.

"Well I'll tell you," the man laughs.

I should have kept my big mouth shut.

. . .

"Okay, contestants! Here are the rules! As there are now, only twelve contestants per competition can participate! That's the only rule. The objective of the game is to make it through several obstacle courses to reach the end of the fun! The first one too will win a fabulous prize!"

We're already at the beginning of the Trick House. He magically teleported Sean and I to the other contestants. (I'm pretty sure I saw a Ralts hiding in his giant pockets.)

The contestants seem decent; there's a couple, there's me and Sean, a bunch of random people, and….

"Willis, what the heck are you doing here?!"

The slightly-younger boy grinned. That disgusting face makes me want to vomit; he's always trying to be better than me. And Alex.

"What, afraid you'll lose to the likes of me? Ha!"

The first obstacle is swinging from a rope and landing on the other side. In between, there is a large gap filled with a pool of foam. It's as if you're swinging from one cliff to the other.

"It's like thiiiiis!" the Trick Master squeals, and swings on the rope—but slams into the side of the other 'cliff.'

"Is he okay?" Sean asks.

"I'm not sure," I reply.

One person grabs the rope, kicks off, and swings onto the other platform. Bragging, he dances around and laughs.

Two girls swing together and land safely together, making three out of twelve safe. However, the next contestant, a youngster, falls flat into the foam and misses grabbing the rope. One down, ten to go. Then I win.

The next few people, Willis, a sixth, a seventh, and an eighth person all make it easily.

I grab the rope and Have Treecko hold on to my arm as I swing. Effortlessly, I make it to the other side. Sean does as well. The couple goes together and continues too. That means eleven out of twelve made it. This is almost fun and almost boring.

"Let's go!" the couple shouts, and begins to run.

Sean and I begin running too. Willis as well. Soon enough, we all were.

One person ran too far, though. He ran straight into a trap door and disappears. I wonder what happened to him?

We keep going, dodging traps and tricks, and finally make it into the next room. It's a giant maze…and we have to get through.

"You guys have to run through the maze, like thiiiis!" the Trick Master screams and slams into the wall. He then disappears thanks to his Ralts.

"I don't know about you guys, but," Willis says, and then jumps on the wall and begins climbing it. What a cheater.

"Help!" one person disappears, and then another beside them does as well. She hops in after her friend. That means there are only eight people left.

Sean and I keep running through the maze. Dead end. Turn. Dead end. Turn. Eventually we wind down a long curve and come across two different paths.

"Gah! Medic?" another cries out. He runs out of the right path with a bloody arm screaming about quitting.

"Left path it is," I whisper, running again. Treecko begins to get tired. However, things finally start looking up.

We reach the clearing marked "Finish." Beside the Trick Master there are two people; a little girl and a disgusting child whose name I shall not speak of.

"There is only one more that can move on now. Only five can continue!" Trick Master explains.

The female of the couple runs out, and then the male. He goes back once he realizes that he lost. I guess he's done this before and already knows.

"Brilliant! Three boys, two girls. Almost good enough, however now only three of you will remain!"

We are teleported across the room to this weird area. It's filled with sand—everywhere.

"You are to run across this sandy field to the other side! Like thiiiiiis!"

The Trick Master runs across the desert landscape and falls in a hole.

"Oh yeah, there are hooooles!" he screams, and then disappears.

"That guy never calms down," Willis whispers. I have to agree with him.

Suddenly, the little girl and Willis both begin moving fast. Willis immediately falls in a hole face-first, but the little girl doesn't fall in one until halfway through. Sean and I start running, and he quickly loses me as he falls through a pit trap.

Treecko and I scamper from one area to another, avoiding obvious pitfalls. _Snap!_ I hear a small twig break, and then Treecko and I slide into a hole and are stuck. Willis begins running again. The little girl, Sean, and the girlfriend are ahead of me as well.

"If there are no rules, I'm going to need some…help," I say, and then grin at Treecko.

"Tree?"

Treecko begins digging through the sand rapidly. I can hear feet scampering in the dirt; we're catching up! Soon enough, Treecko plops out in the open and I thrust my body out from the hole. We quickly run to the finish line and make it first place!

Sean is coming next. He is only two yards away from the finish line! He's coming in! He's—pushed into a hole by Willis! Willis runs up and makes it on as well. Great.

However, the girlfriend is obviously out. She runs back the other way and tries to escape. It's Sean versus the little girl.

"Sorry, mister," she smiles, and steps on Sean's head as he gets out of the hole. She makes it on and Sean is forced to head back. I'm alone now…with Willis. Ew.

As we go beyond the finish line, the Trick Master explains that only two people will make it to the finals. The next challenge is just to walk through the door; however there is one obstacle: the Trick Master has left his Snorlax asleep and each time, each contestant will have to wake it up. Every time, a different tactic will be used. If one cheats on this round, s/he will be disqualified.

"Here, you wake him, like thiiiiis!" the Trick Master squeals, and Body Slams the Snorlax. However, he bounces back onto the cold hard ground.

"Just like that!"

A drop of sweat rolls down the back of my head. What's wrong with this guy?

Willis is going up first. His tactic is to squeeze through. With only thirty seconds, how can he possibly do that. I watch easily as he loses momentum and sits on Snorlax within seven seconds. Twenty three later and he loses. He'll have another go if I fail, or the little girl.

The girl, speaking of which, pulls out a flue—a Pokéflute to be specific. She plays it and wakes the Snorlax up. It gently rolls towards the music, and she runs through to the other side—securing her spot in the final two.

After twenty minutes, Snorlax falls asleep in the same place. If squeezing didn't work, maybe battling will.

"Go, Makuhita! Corphish! Swablu!" I call my Pokémon out. Treecko hops on field with the rest of them.

"Swablu, use Heal Bell to wake Snorlax up!"

Swablu chimes an imaginative bell, which brings Snorlax to its senses.

"Now, Corphish, use Crabhammer! Treecko, use Bullet Seed! Makuhita, Arm Thrust!"

Corphish's and Treecko's attacks are sponged off, but Makuhita's Arm Thrust hits super hard. I return Swablu and Corphish and have Treecko retreat as we watch Makuhita work.

"Ma-ku-hi-ta!"

Fifteen seconds left.

"Makuhita, come on! More power!"

Makuhita begins to slam its fists into Snorlax, slowly pushing it away from the doorway.

Twelve seconds.

"Come on!"

Makuhita breathes in deeply. Ten seconds.

"Once more, Makuhita!" I panic. It's not looking good.

Makuhita smiles at me and then glows brightly. Suddenly, its hands go from little black gloves to giant, red, and menacing. It goes beyond double its previous size—now it dwarves me at over seven feet tall. This hulking Pokémon is impressively sturdy in posture.

"Hariyama!" the Pokémon cries, and then uses one powerful move to slam Snorlax fifty feet, causing the giant Pokémon to crash into the wall of the Trick House.

Five seconds.

Treecko and I run to the finish line. Hariyama joins me at the last second, earning me a spot in the final two.

I look it up and it appears that Hariyama learned Brick Break and replaced Vital Throw. I praise my Pokémon and let it rest in its Pokéball.

"Very nice, you two. The final challenge is to battle of course, like…er…thiiiiis!" the Trick Master confusedly squeals. He begins hitting himself in the head.

"I guess he hurt himself in his confusion," I laugh.

The Trick Master heals our Pokémon. Now is for the real fun: a Pokémon battle.

"Go, Swampert!" the girl smiles. She's so little…how could she have a Swampert?

"Go, Corphish! Use Crabhammer!"

"Swampert, use Protect! Then counter it with Earthquake!"

Swampert is protected from my attack, and then OHKOs Corphish with one single Earthquake…

"Phiish…"

"Corphish, return! If we can't hit by land…maybe by air?" Swablu, I choose you!"

Swablu comes out and uses Hyper Voice, which hurts Swampert's hearing. However Swablu is knocked out with a speedy Ice Punch. I'm already down to two Pokémon…

"Treecko, looks like you'll have to do this one," I say to my shoulder, and Treecko hops off of it and lands on the ground.

"Swampert, use Ice Punch!"

"Dodge it and use Bullet Seed!"

Swampert comes in and slams its icy-blue fist at Treecko, however my Wood Gecko Pokémon dodged it and slammed it with a barrage of speedy seeds. Swampert retreats back, and then Treecko goes in for the win and knocks it out with Quick Attack.

"That was one powerful Pokémon…" I stammer, still down about losing Corphish and Swablu. Who is this girl?

"Go, Parasect! Use X-Scissor!"

A mushroom Pokémon is emitted from its Pokéball and begins to attack Treecko. My Pokémon simply knocks it out with Acrobatics. The girl clenches her teeth. She says she still has two Pokémon left.

Whatever her name is, she sends out a Crobat against Treecko.

"Crobat, use Taunt!"

Crobat begins sneering and laughing at Treecko, whose reaction is to all-out attack.

"Treecko, use Acrobatics!"

"Brave Bird!"

Treecko skillfully jumps around and slams into Crobat, however when it did, Crobat hit it head-on with a powerful Brave Bird attack. The Pokémon is enveloped in a blue flame, and knocks out my signature Pokémon in one singular hit again.

"Treee…"

"Treecko?!" I pick Treecko up and set him by my side. Eventually he wakes up and watches the rest of the fight. All I have left is Hariyama, and Crobat resists Fighting…and can beat Fighting…wait! Sean taught Hariyama…

"Go, Hariyama!" I stammer. My impressive Pokémon makes its true battle debut.

"This battle's over!" the girl laughs.

"Hariyama, first use Ice Punch!" I begin.

Hariyama slams its icy hand onto Crobat.

"Now use your other first to slam it down with Brick Break!"

Hariyama knocks the Pokémon down onto the ground, severely injured. Crobat can't even get up.

"Crobat, return…ha! Hahahahaha!" the girl laughs.

Hariyama, Treecko, and I look at each other weirdly.

"Go, Ninjask!"

A speedy bug Pokémon begins zipping around the field. Hariyama misses several attempts to KO the thing, and it hits my Pokémon with soft attacks such as X-Scissor. I'm trying to think…how can I get this Pokémon to stop being so fast? Wait…one attack has secondary statuses!

"Hariyama, use Secret Power on Ninjask!"

"Ninjask, Double Team!"

It doesn't matter, though. After all of the training I've done with these Pokémon on the Slateport beach, they have been taught everything needed to go on with Double Team—a very easy counter to slow Pokémon.

"Hariyama, focus and use Secret Power!"

Hariyama closes its eyes and glows pink. It imagines the several different Ninjask buzzing around, listening for a certain…ah! As it approaches, Hariyama slams into it, causes it to glow pink, and then it becomes paralyzed—too crippled to move fast.

"Now use Ice Punch to finish it off!"

"No! Ninjask, you can do it!"

Needless to say, Hariyama won me the competition. After a victory dance, I rejoin with Sean and we go to collect our prize.

"Oh yes, a big bag of items indeed! Try one!" the Trick Master squeals, and then shoves a bag in my face. I open it to find Rare Candy. Treecko eats one but spits it out in disgust. It's…plastic?

"Ha! HA! BWAHAHAHAHA! I tricked you! Here's your real prize," the Trick Master laughs, tears rolling down his face. He tucks a book in my bag and whispers something about Team Aqua.

"How did you know? Didn't you get mad?" I ask.

"Kid, devious teams like that make tricks more fun. Too bad you're a fuddy-duddy. Nothing fun about you," he sighs, and then says that it's a true storybook on Kyogre and Groudon.

. . .

As I read the book with Treecko on my shoulder, Sean yells something about seeing a town.

"Mauville City, the bright and shiny city of fun," I whisper, and Sean and race down the hill to where the next town lies. Too bad Treecko has Quick Attack.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houndoom, Beautifly_

As we move past the woods and into the clearing for Mauville City, I turn around to hear something crying behind me.

"Stay right here," I tell Oshawott and Terra.

I begin backtracking, and find a Gulpin trying to Swallow Budew.

"Aahh!" it points to its mouth.

"Bud! Budeeew!"

I scoop the Pokémon up right as Gulpin snaps its jaws down. Then it uses Gunk Shot, slamming chunks of who-knows-what on my legs as I run. While running, I look down to see Budew staring at me with glistening-eyes. We finally reach Terra and Oshawott. I explain the matter and agree with Terra that I should let it go.

"There you go, Budew! Now you can return home," I smile, and let the Pokémon out of my arms.

However, the Pokémon takes two steps—and then turns around and jumps back in my arms.

"I'm thinking that it wants to join you on your adventures!" Terra smiles at me. She seems to know everything, or wants to. Too bad I already figured this from the start.

"Is that true, Budew? Do you want to join me?"

"Budew!"

"Even if I'm from Team Magma?"

"Budew!"

And on this day, I have officially received my fourth Pokémon. A strong one at that. I wonder what Pokémon is next.


	17. Mother Knows Best

**Part 17**

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

After a long, boring walk with Treecko and Sean through the never-ending path, we finally reach Mauville City. Almost immediately, we run to the Pokémon Center to book hotel rooms and heal our Pokémon. Sean decides to break off to reserve some bikes for the road ahead. We're not stopping in Verdanturf; the only thing there is a Contest Hall. Sean said that he doesn't need to go there either, although he was acting sort of funny.

As for me, I go with Treecko to the Pokémon Gym. I heard that the Gym Leader uses Electric-types; Treecko has the advantage. We run up and swing the door open. Stepping forward, I grab Treecko and carry it to this weird platform. It's just a gated square. In front of me is just black. Where's the…uh…gym?

Suddenly, I must have stepped on a switch, because we begin rocketing forward into the darkness. Treecko and I scream as we go up and down the hills. Once the square stops, we open our eyes. Then, it falls down swiftly—just like a rollercoaster that just reached the top. We speed down the slope and then are launched beyond the hills. Treecko and I scream in the darkness of the gym, and we soon land in a giant indoor river. From there, we see animatronics pictures across the screens of the most powerful electric-type Pokémon; Zapdos, Raikou, and Zekrom.

Then the platform comes to an immediate halt. Treecko and I fall face-forward onto the small area. Stupid inertia! Once I get up, I get Treecko and step forward—onto the actual gym floor! From there I see an old man watching TV and laughing behind a giant chair. On the TV is…me…? Around the room are robotic Raikou, the wires and gears snapped or broken.

"Those kids never see it coming!" he laughs.

"Excuse, Mr. Wattson of Mauville City? I'd like to challenge you to a battle!" I speak up from behind.

"WAAH! You startled me. Ahahaha, you looked so scared. It sure makes this old man feel good to see others in pain," he smiles, wiping a stray tear from his eyes.

"Uh…yeah. Can we just battle now?"

"Sure," he says, "but be warned—you're in for a shocking surprise!

A referee comes in the room and suddenly a picture of a field appears; however, it's just a projection from the floor. Treecko jumps forward as Wattson turns from his chair. He has white hair with a brown jacket. He wears electric-yellow pants and a grin on his face. This old man may have aged physically, but his emotional age is still that of my age.

"This will be a three-on-three battle with substitutions only for the challenger! Begin!" the referee says.

"Treecko, get ready!"

"Voltorb, I choose you!"

I anticipated an electric-type Pokémon, but this one just looks like…a Pokéball.

The Pokémon is red-and-white, just like a standard Pokéball.

"Voltorb, use Thunder Wave!"

Voltorb uses this attack that automatically paralyzes Treecko. I decide to call it back and send out Hariyama.

"Thunder Wave!"

I go into Corphish and desperately try to dodge the incoming attack.

"Thunder Wave!"

Corphish is paralyzed as well…

All of my Pokémon are tired and weak; I can't keep this up…not with my Pokémon like this. Wattson comes over and puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Kiddo, I think you just need to train more. I'm canceling this battle, don't worry about it. Come back in a few hours and we'll have another go at it. For now, please just work hard. Heal your Pokémon!"

I call out Swablu to use Heal Bell. I should have used it in the first place; all of my Pokémon are healthy again.

"Can we battle now?!"

"Haha, you remind me of my youngster days. Sorry son, I've got business matters to attend to as of right now. Come back later," he shrugs me off. I recall my Pokémon and leave with Treecko sadly.

As we exit, I look for Sean. However, he's nowhere to be seen. I don't even have a best friend right now…

. . .

Sean watches the screen as he pulls the lever. Seven…seven…cherry. Darn, he'll have to try again. He's played 39 times now, and has won a ton of coins. He. Must. Not. Stop. Playing. The. Slots. Sean begins looking at the screen again and pulls the lever. Seven…seven…magnemite? Argh!

. . .

_**Alex: **__Oshawott, Houdoom, Beautifly, Budew_

As we entered Mauville City, Terra got a call from Maxie and got stuck talking to him for about three hours. Right now, she's still talking to him. While she does so, she decides to head east and view the coastal view of the beach.

I go with Oshawott to register a couple of rooms in the Pokémon Center. After that, we lose track of Terra and decide to disobey her. She wants to go straight to Mt. Chimney, however I plan on taking a detour to Verdanturf, which is just west and not too far away.

Oshawott and I begin walking west, when all of a sudden we begin to hear voices.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Treecko, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

Treecko and I walk westward to visit a certain place in between Verdanturf and Mauville. On our walk, I spot Alex and her Oshawott. Quickly, we go to greet them. We're both allowed to casually walk around since we're not in Magma/Aqua uniforms.

"Terra ditched me," she frowns.

"Sean did the same to me," I sigh.

We keep walking. The Nincada wake up from their naps in the underbrush, just to run away from our feet.

"I wonder if that's the same Nincada we saw in the Petalburg Woods," she asks quietly.

"I don't know…"

It was quiet for about fifteen more minutes.

"Where are you headed?" I ask.

"Verdanturf, you?"

"Hmm…follow me," I say, and we go north rather than west. Soon enough, we reach the familiar Daycare facility. I begin to look for her.

"Who exactly are you looking for?" Alex questions.

"Anthony! Oh, I'm so happy to see you again!" a voice comes from the back of the Daycare.

"Mom!" I yell, excited. We embrace.

"Oh, I see you've brought your girlfriend along so I can meet her, huh?" she smiles, her blonde-ish hair glowing with health.

My face gets really red. Really really red. I look over to see Alex's is about the same color as mine.

"Um, Mom, we're not dating," I quietly protest.

"Nonsense, you both are perfect for each other!"

"Mom, sorry…we're _not_," I tell her, and she stops teasing.

"Such a shame…What brings you here, honey?"

"I just wanted to come over and say hi!" I look back over at Alex.

"Oh, and this is Alex, a..uh..friend I met near Rustboro City. I was wondering if I could look around back at the Pokémon you're raising!" I excitedly ask her.

"I don't see why not," she laughs, and guides Alex, Oshawott, Treecko, and I to the fence.

. . .

After about an hour of playing with the Daycare Pokémon, I finally decide to show her mine.

"Hey Mom, do you want to see my Pokémon?" I excitedly ask her.

"Sure! You caught more than just Treecko, then?" she gasps.

"Yeah, I've got a bunch of cool Pokémon now! Come on out guys!"

Corphish, Hariyama, and Swablu come out and run off to play.

"I'll let mine out too!" Alex laughs.

Houndoom, Beautifly, and Budew escape their Pokéballs for fun as well.

"That Pokémon's new, I haven't seen that," I tell Alex, pointing to the green plant.

"That's my Budew; I saved him and he saved me. He decided to join me before we reached Mauville City!"

"RHYY!" a shrill cry pierces the air as something comes out of the bushes.

"Oh no, we need to get _out of here!_" Mom screams.

We begin running to the Daycare building as the Pokémon charges towards us.

"What is that?" I ask.

"That's Rhyhorn. He doesn't like playing with anyone; he likes beating them up. I wish its trainer would come and get it already!" Mom whispers.

Alex and I hide behind the fenced wall and watch Rhyhorn carefully. Mom comes towards us after throwing out some food, but trips and turns around to see Rhyhorn right above her.

"HELP!" she screams as Rhyhorn rears in for the attack.

Treecko and I dart out from the safe zone to her rescue. I ran so fast, I think I almost outpaced Treecko's Quick Attack. Once we finally reach my mom, I slide in front of her and stretch out my arms.

"If you want her, you're going to have to get through me!"

"Tony, no!" my mom shouts. Alex begins pulling her away.

Rhyhorn rears back, and then charges at me with a ferocious motion. I close my eyes and brace for impact, but then open them to find a white light blinding my view.

Treecko slides in between Rhyhorn and myself, and then glows bright white. Its leafy tail splits off into two different leaves, a giant razor-sharp leaf grows from its head, it enlarges from its previous size…Then the awesome happens—three sharp leaves protrude from either wrist and a red underbelly is exposed.

"Grovyle!" the Pokémon announces to me, and I think that means "back up."

Then Grovyle's leaves unite into blades, and they slice against Rhyhorn and knock it backwards. With swirly eyes, Rhyhorn falls over unconscious, but soon gets up and runs away.  
I look at my Pokémon with pride. Not only has it evolved from my little Treecko into this ninja warrior of a grass type, but it's learned a new move in Leaf Blade.

"Grovyle!" it cheers. The two of us are so excited, and my mom and Alex smile too. Oshawott senses something and therefore does not cheer along.

"What's wrong, Oshawott?" Alex asks.

"Sometimes…Rhyhorn, well never mind. It seems that he isn't coming!" Mom curiously dismisses her stress.

"_Who _isn't coming?"

"Swiiine!"

Suddenly a large brown oaf trudges in and surprises Grovyle with a sneak Ice Shard. The shards are gearing right towards my Wood Gecko Pokémon; and I'm afraid that it may get damaged.

Then Oshawott jumps in and blocks the ice with its Scalchop. Right after, Oshawott glows white like my Grovyle had.

"It's evolving too?!" Alex gasps.

Oshawott goes from a chubby, cute Pokémon into a ninja-like one as well! Its body is sleeker, its legs more limber. The Pokémon's Scalchop begins to grow along with it. Whiskers protrude from its face, and then the Pokémon uses its Scalchop to slash into Piloswine, knocking it in the same fashion that Grovyle had with Rhyhorn. Piloswine ran away in fear.

"Dewott!" it cries out bravely.

"De-Dewott, I can't believe you evolved!" Alex smiles, and Dewott cheers just as Grovyle had. Not only that, but Dewott learned a slashing attack like Grovyle; Razor Shell was able to replace Air Slash as a move that its Scalchop can use solely.

Grovyle and Dewott shake hands approvingly.

. . .

Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, and Budew eat with me, my mom, and Alex. After a wonderful lunch, Alex and I bid my mom farewell and begin to leave the Daycare Center.

"I'm heading to Verdanturf, which is to the left of Mauville City," Alex explains, and I tell her that I'm returning to Mauville.

"Wait!" my mom screams, running out with two shaped items in her arms.

"Take these!"

She comes up and gives Alex and I both an egg.

"An egg?" I wonder out loud.

"These are left over from some Pokémon I personally bred; you'll be surprised at what's inside!" she smiles.

She hands me this blue egg, while Alex gets a tan one with red spots. We both thank her, and Alex goes ahead and begins her long stretch to Verdanturf with Dewott.

"I'll miss you so much, baby," she whispers in my ear, hugging me. Grovyle gets its twig and folds its arms, leaning against a tree trunk.

I know I need to tell my mom about Team Aqua. I may as well do it now so she'll at least know I'm not keeping secrets from her.

"I'm…I've…I'm part of Team Aqua," I whisper, and she gets goosebumps.

"Did they abduct you?"

"No…actually, Archie took me in under his wing in the Petalburg Woods. I was being chased by a mad Ursaring, and he saved me from it," I explain.

"Honey…" she seems worried.

"Mom, I know it's an evil team, but they aren't all that bad," I try to explain.

"It's not that. Team Aqua and Team Magma both have been known for…going in over their heads. While I don't want you to join a crime syndicate, I know that at least they're providing you food and housing on your journey," she sighs.

"They're over their heads? How so?"

"Well, both of them want control of uncontrollable Pokémon. You and I both know that they will fail. Groudon and Kyogre are no easy targets; I mean, they're the representation of land and sea! You could die on your journey with them. Remember this: _I love you no matter what, and I just want what's best for you. My advice to you on this is to quit while you have the chance. _You can stay as long as you'd like, but once you see that they're starting to lose it, skedaddle out of there and save your butt in the long run. You're a strong trainer now, with your Grovyle, honey, but…no one can control such beings with misguided reasoning. Team Aqua and Team Magma are destined to fail…"

I soak this in. Why does she dislike Team Aqua so much? Nevertheless, she seems okay with me staying for now.

"I wish we had your father," she whispers.

"I know, Mom…if I ever find him, I'll let you know. Trust me," I agree.

"I made you lunch," she smiles, and hands me a brown bag with a slice of cold pizza inside. I haven't had actual non-sandwich food since…the day I left.

"Thanks, Mom," I smile, and take the bag. Grovyle gets up and tugs on my shirt, pointing at the sky.

"I think we better go now. If not, I won't make it back to Mauville until morning," I inform her, and she nods.

My mom's crying now. I understand that mothers cry when their children leave, but…I think there's some other reasoning behind this. There has to be.

"When I'm ready, physically and emotionally, I will knock that deadbeat out of our house. I can't let my Pokémon do it; I have to on my own," I shout.

Grovyle and I begin walking away, and I keep looking back and waving at my mom. I miss her so much…but I have to go on this journey. To find out who I really am. The worst part is…I saw bruises on her arms. This has to stop soon.

. . .

"_Oh, honey. If only I could have told you…your stepfather is…is…more than just a grouchy man. He's…a very evil one to say the least. I couldn't tell you this to your face because of your fondness of your team, but…this man, the one who has abused me, you, and Treecko…he's…Archie's brother and partner in crime…"_

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

"Hold the egg while I go and check in at the Pokémon Center," I tell Dewott. It does so and waits outside.

I walk in and get a room, and then let Dewott come on in. I heal my Pokémon and head to bed. I'm tired. Tony's adventure day has worn me out. His mom is so…nice.

I look over to the tan egg on the red bed of my room. What will hatch from this? It doesn't seem close to hatching…I set the egg in the open pocket of my book bag, and then turn out the night and cover up. Dewott sleeps on the couch. I guess it's too old to sleep in my bed. Ha.

I wonder what happened to Terra.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

"You waited too long! We'll have to do it tomorrow morning," Wattson cries out in his pajamas, which are Plusle and Minun-themed. I walk out of the back of the Pokémon Gym and head to the Pokémon Center for bed.

I make Grovyle a comfy bed out of two chairs; I put them together to make a bed-like appearance. I slip the egg in my open bag and brush my teeth three times. Just being around Mom makes me want to be more hygienic.

I wonder what happened to Sean.

. . .

"…And that's how we decided to name it 'Team Magma,'" Maxie continues.

"Fascinating," Terra mumbles, and tells him she has to go.

"I was getting to the good part!"

"Too bad; I have to go. Bye!" she shuts down the device and begins running through the woods.

…Four hours later...

Terra finally sees Verdanturf and decides that she'll just sleep against the outside wall of the Pokémon Center. She's just too tired to go inside. She puts her head on her bag and nods off to sleep.

Slot Game #148

"I'm WINNING!" Sean screams, dancing in a pile of gold coins.

"Sorry, kid. We're closing. Take your coins and go," the manager shouts.

"But I don't have a coin case!"

"That's not my problem. Put them in your pants or something; you kids know what to do nowadays. Now get out of here!"

Sean puts nearly twelve pounds of coins in his pockets. Once he's out of the Game Corner, Sean struggles to run. His pants are just too heavy.


	18. It's Electricity, My Dear Wattson

**Part 18**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

I step into the room of the gym holding my blue Pokémon egg. Grovyle steps in behind me.

"I'm ready, Wattson."

Suddenly, a scurry comes around from a dark corner of the room. Grovyle senses it before I do, and it braces for an attack. A shadow appears, and soon a bolt of electricity shocks the room and lights it up.

"Voltorb!" the familiar pain replies to the light.

"Is that so, Anthony? Good luck surpassing my Voltorb's Thunder Wave!" a voice emanates from somewhere.

Wattson jumps out from behind a doorway and calls for Voltorb to start off with the usual Thunder Wave.

Grovyle uses Quick Attack to dodge, and then uses Leaf Blade to slam Voltorb away from range. Voltorb then replies with SonicBoom.

Grovyle digs into the ground and dodges the attack again. However, Voltorb is told to use Rollout inside the hole. This happens for a while; Grovyle diving from one hole to another, and Voltorb following it from close behind. Being in the earth, though, causes electric attacks to become useless.

"Voltorb, finish this up with SonicBoom!"

"Grovyle, Quick Attack!"

Right after our words, an explosion occurs from under the ground's surface. Grovyle then pushes Voltorb out of the hole and kicks it over to Wattson.

Wattson, the hair-lacking, brown-jacketed man, gasps and recalls his Voltorb.

"Grovyle, come back!"

Grovyle steps back to me and takes the Pokémon egg for me. I have to keep that thing safe…

"Go, Hariyama!"

"Go, Magneton! Tony, you're already doing better. However, I'm not done yet. Voltorb was my weakest Pokémon," he laughs. Weakest?

"Hariyama, use Vital Throw!"

"Magneton, Shock Wave!"

An electric radiation emits from this weird Pokémon. It has three gray, magnetic orbs morphed together with one eye on each circle; and magnets and screw connecting these things. Anyways, the Pokémon hits Hariyama hard, but it retaliates with a super effective fighting-type attack.

"Now use Thunder Wave!"

Hariyama becomes fully paralyzed. Not only is Magneton powerful, but it is such a hard thing to dodge!

"Magneton, now's your chance! Use Mirror Shot!"

This annoyance repeatedly attacks Hariyama, making it severely weak. When all seems lost, though, I can't give up.

"Brick Break!"

Hariyama opens its eyes, regains ground, although still paralyzed, and knocks Magneton out with a Brick Break.

Out comes Manectric, a _very _strong Pokémon. It's dog-like, with electric-blue and yellow colors on its body. It seems to be completely outmatching my Hariyama.

"Manectric, use Discharge!"

Hariyama is hit by a really strong electric attack, but my Pokémon still goes on.

"Hariyama, Brick Break!"

Hariyama OHKO's Manectric with one simple attack. How he did that, I don't know.

Wattson stands there bewildered. He returns Manectric and gasps in disbelief.

"How did you do that?"

I think. Surely I've read something about Hariyama gaining boosts in attack somehow…wait!

"Guts. Hariyama's got Guts," I whisper. I return Hariyama, who was previously dancing to an easy win (although it was dancing slowly due to its paralysis).

"Yes, yes, child! Hahaha! Your Pokémon has guts and body parts! Oh, you children are so gory sometimes! Haha!" the old man laughs. I'm not amused.

"No, the ability. Guts boosts Hariyama's attack if it's affected by a status condition," I reply.

"I knew that," the old man whines, and then pushes Grovyle, the egg, and I out of his gym and runs off upset. He's usually laughing.

He then comes back out and throws me a golden badge in the shape of a circle with a pole through it. Slamming the door, he continues weeping and mumbles something about 'not fair.'

. . .

I run to the Pokémon Center and get my Pokémon healed up. I have the Dynamo Badge!"

As I grab Sean and pull him out of the hotel room and into the bike shop, we finally get our bikes and begin trekking out of Mauville City. I put the egg in the basket of my bike, and take off. Behind me, Grovyle uses Quick Attack to catch up and Sean begins sweating immediately.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

"Budew, use SolarBeam! Dewott, Icy Wind!"

I look at the combination and frown. "Houndoom, Flamethrower! Beautifly, Silver Wind!"

Another bad mixture. I'm outside of the contest hall at the moment, trying to come up with quick ideas of combinations. I decide to switch the parings up. Beautifly and Dewott will work together, and Houndoom and Budew will as well.

"Beautifly, Silver Wind! Dewott, Icy Wind!"

The combination creates an icy breeze of glimmering snow crystals. That was a great combination.

"Now use Morning Sun and Water Pulse!"

Beautifly creates a bright, sun-like orb in the sky, and Dewott envelops it in a pulse of water. The bright, aquatic combination is then cut by Razor Shell to dazzle the "crowd" with an evaporating drizzle. This is excellent.

"Budew, use Sunny Day! Now use SolarBeam; and Houndoom, use Flamethrower!"

Budew creates an intense heat, making the sun come out. Then, it and Houndoom use a grass-fire combo excellently.

"Now, Budew, use Sleep Powder! Houndoom, use Dark Pulse!"

Budew emits a green powder from its bud, and Houndoom turns it black with a pulse of dark energy. Then, the powder is scattered and disappears.

"Now use Synthesis, Budew!"

Budew elegantly heals itself of all damage (however it didn't experience any), and that will surely win the crowd over. I hug all of my Pokémon and return all of them except Dewott. I pick up the tan egg from my book bag and place it in Dewott's care.

"Very nice combinations, however I think you may need to find more appeals than actual attacks," a voice startles me.

"Marsh, what are you doing here?" I stammer.

He shows me a gray case, and then pops it open. Four beautiful ribbons appear, and my face turns as red as one of his prizes. I only have _one. _

He shrugs and disappears. I urge my Pokémon to work harder, sending them back out. Eventually even I get tired out and we decide to rest.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

"The Winstrate Family."

Oh how I shouldn't have knocked on their door once I saw the sign. What did the sign say? Something like "The Family always lookin' for a Fight!" Yeah, I had to look for a battle while I'm on a mission from Team Aqua. I feel like..I'm distancing myself from Team Aqua. Oh well, eventually I'll get back to it. I am on a mission to get to Mt. Chimney.

This family immediately drags me to the backyard, and Sean and Grovyle follow.

"We love to battle!" the father explains, stroking his Zigzagoon.

"Then let's battle," I say, although I didn't think I'd be facing four people in a row. Dad, Mom, Daughter, Grandma. Apparently the son is a master at Pokémon or something.

I crush the guy with Grovyle and I get a point. He then explains the rules to me, after we've already battled.

"Whoever gets three points first wins. Since your buddy's here, he can battle too. He will battle my wife!"

He runs away and his wife comes out.

"I'm no pro, but here we go!" she says to Sean, and I push him over to the field they're battling on.

"I'm not a battler, Tony! What the heck?"

"Just go with it!" I encourage him.

"Go, Wingull!"

"Go, Joltik! Kill it with Thunder!"

Kill it?

Wingull is immediately knocked out from the attack. Sean lost us the point.

I won't go into details about my battle with the girl, but I win easily. Sean comes up and I tell him that if he wins now, we can move on and eat lunch.

"Lunch?!"

Sean sends out Shroomish as the grandma sends out Meditite. Meditite uses Confusion, but Shroomish puts it to sleep with Spore. Then, Shroomish attacks with Headbutt. This goes on until Shroomish glows white.

Grovyle watches this Pokémon carefully. Shroomish turns into the costume that Sean had to wear back at the old Abandoned Ship. It grows red claws and a mushroom hat. It then knocks Meditite out with a powerful Sky Uppercut attack. Although Grovyle watches its grass-type friend win, I pay more attention to my egg. It slightly moves.

"I won!" Sean comes over to me.

"Great!"

The family invites us over for dinner, and we accept. After a nice, long meal, we finally head back on the road.

"You rushed us out!" Sean cries.

"Oh, please. We have bigger things to do," I snap.

"Oh, sure! We get to stop for your gym badges, but I can't have any fun at all!"

"What do you call fun?"

"What does it matter?!" Sean screams.

"Maybe I should go on my own," I whisper.

"Maybe I should, too," Sean concurs.

Grovyle and I go left, away from the desert. I don't look back. Sean bikes toward the desert. What a moron, the idiot's going to get his tires stuck in the sand.

I guess I'm sort of mad. I bike so hard that I nearly lose my focus and fall over. Grovyle saves the day with a nice catch of the bike. We keep going, and eventually come to this cable car area, but it's closed off. Grovyle, the egg, and I find another path, labeled the 'Fiery Path,' and proceed through. However, what we find is scorching hot.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

"The Appeals Round starts off with Coordinator Alex from Rustboro City, and her Pokémon Beautifly!"

Beautifly starts off amazing. She uses Silver Wind on a Stun Spore to create an orange ball, and seals it up with String Shot. Then, she uses Morning Sun to light the ball and create a magnificent effect. However, the judges give me a measly 27.3 for no reason. Touchy.

The Verdanturf crowd roars in anger at my score, and I couldn't be happy enough. The judges claim that they have made up their minds, though. At least I'm being supported by the true judges.

"Next up is Willis and his Espeon!" Vivian Meridian announces. I boo, but the crowd doesn't continue it. Oh well.

"Beautifly, you did your best," I tell my Pokémon from the Coordinator Waiting Room. Dewott sits besides us, holding the precious egg. It moves every few hours.

Willis and his Pokémon got a score of 27.1. We actually beat them. Once Willis comes back, I decide to not brag; my score wasn't the best.

The next girl, Anne, used a Cherrim in her appeal round and got a perfect score. Things like this make me nervous. After all the others are finished, only eight people will move on to the next round, double battles.

Anne, Willis, and I make it through, as well as five other individuals. While we wait for the cards to shuffle, I pray that it's not Anne who I'm paired against. Once I hear people gasp, I open my eyes to see something worse—I'm battling Willis. _Again! _

"Looks like you and me are going to have some fun, honey," he smiles.

"Can it, short stuff. I'm gonna make you wish you crawled back to where you came from."

. . .

"Our next match is between Alex and Willis. Both coordinators have earned their first ribbons already, and it appears that they have a huge rivalry. Who will win? This will be an excellent match!"

"Combusken, Shiftry, go!" the blonde-haired child yelps, throwing two Pokéballs in the air.

"Houndoom and Budew, I choose you!" Dewott hides with the egg.

"Combusken, Flamethrower! Shiftry, Seed Bomb! Combine it!"

Flaming Seed Bombs erupt from the other side of the field.

"Houndoom, get in front of Budew. Budew, use Sunny Day!"

Houndoom absorbs the fire attacks easily thanks to Flash Fire. The seeds do very little damage as well. Once Budew gets the sunlight going, Houndoom is able to severely hurt Combusken with a Flamethrower. The Pokémon stands still and doesn't attack for a while.

"Shiftry, use your Chlorophyll to outspeed and use Aerial Ace on Budew!"

The leafy Pokémon uses such agility as a Pokémon with double its speed; it must be the sunlight! It smacks Budew hard with an attack that Budew is knocked backwards.

"Now do it again!"

Same result. I have to think of something. Houndoom will have to take on Combusken on its own while Budew focuses on something...ah! I have one thing up my sleeve.

"Now, use Aerial Ace one more time!"

Shiftry comes in close, and once it is close enough…

"Budew, Sleep Powder!"

Shiftry falls over asleep as Combusken nervously looks from side to side.

"Houndoom, Flamethrower! Budew, Synthesis!"

Shiftry is scorched and is thrown from its resting place onto Combusken, and the two are stuck on top of each other. Eventually Shiftry wakes up and gets off Houndoom. Budew recovers its health and is ready to move on.

Budew jumps on Houndoom as my Pokémon is prepared to attack with a Flamethrower, and other uses SolarBeam. Shiftry uses Dark Pulse and Combusken tops it off with—Fire Blast?! That move is so strong, can my Pokémon take it?!

Once the two combinations make contact with the other, a giant explosion erupts in the middle of the stadium. The whole audience is on their toes, excited for the outcome. The judges, Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and Nurse Joy, stare agape at the smoke.

Willis and I clench our teeth and wait for the smoke to lift. Soon, I'm able to make out two silhouettes within the smog. Whatever two Pokémon are left, they're standing proud. I hope this goes my way…

. . .

Terra wakes up from her long nap. Sleeping on the Pokémon Center wall was brutal. She looks at the time and realizes that it's 5pm. Once she realizes this, she rushes to the contest hall—but Maxie calls her.

"Do you want to finish that lecture we had yesterday? I was getting to the good part!"

Great. Sorry Alex.

**. . . **

**(Cliffhanger overview)**

Will Tony and Sean work things out? Or will they go their separate ways? If so, will they be able to _survive?_

Will this work Alex's way?! Or will Willis once again beat her, making his record 2-0? What about this girl named Anne? Will she pose a new threat to Alex—if Alex even _gets _that far?

Will Terra ever get her life back from Maxie's lectures?

All of these questions and more will be answered in the next episode! Stay tuned, and stay Hoenn! For any questions, comments, or feedback, please feel free to let me know.


	19. Crashing the Party

**Part 19**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

"Grovyle, faster!"

The two of us narrowly escape the hoard of Slugma whose territory we trespassed. The Fiery Path is filled with merciless fire-types, the bane of Grovyle's existence.

Finally, the two of us step out of the path and onto the route we're supposed to be on. South, the desert we saw at the beginning comes to an end. North, our location awaits.

Grovyle and I speed our way out of the route and come to a new location; one filled with ashes. People grab bags and fill them up with these ashes. I've seen them on TV.

One comes up to me and says, "Would you like to collect ashes for prizes?"

I respond, but he does not like my rejection—and throws an ash ball at me. Grovyle threatensthe boy with its blades, and he backs off. We keep moving, but to no avail. Grovyle and I are trudging through the thick ashes on the ground. Grovyle's doing the best it can with the egg in its arms; he's trying to keep it warm and clean.

The blue egg seems to move occasionally; it may be close to hatching. I'm excited to see what Pokémon it could be, but I don't mind nevertheless. A Pokémon from my mom is a gift, no matter what. It could be a Phione egg, or a Magikarp. Dratini, or Pidgey. By the coloration of this egg, I'm not sure what Pokémon it _could _be.

After over an hour of struggling through the ashy grass, Grovyle and I finally make it to Fallarbor Town. I put my bike on the rack and check in to get a Pokémon Center room. I'm not sure when I'll use it, though. As I exit, Grovyle looks at the egg in confusion. I'm wondering about it too…

I decide to take a much-needed break. I send out Corphish, Hariyama, and Swablu. Man, my team is a cool-looking bunch. The next gym specializes in fire-types, so Corphish should fare well.

"Corphish, Crabhammer! Swablu, Hyper Voice! Hariyama, Secret Power! Grovyle, Leaf Blade!"

My Pokémon work hard to please me, and in return I give them all a wonderful lunch. Nothing could ruin this day.

. . .

"Crap."

Sean turns his bike the other way upon seeing the desert. Now he has to go all the way Tony went without meeting up with him. He turns around and head toward the Fiery Path.

From there, he bikes in and meets an injured Torkoal. He heals it, and then it decides to come along with him. That's just one more Pokémon in Sean's possession. From there, he exits the Fiery Path.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

Combusken and Shiftry are left standing, and my two are kneeling weak on the ground.

"Hang in there, guys!" I chirp, but the judges stare angrily at me. This is a repeat of the first contest I was in.

"I guess I'm done…" I sigh, and grab for the Pokéballs in my bag.

"Too bad, little girl. I'm almost done with my ribbons now!" Willis cheers. Shut up.

"It looks like Willis has won this match!" Vivian cheers, and the crowd has mixed views.

"Don't count your chickens just yet," Mr. Contesta gasps, looking back at the Pokémon.

I whirl around with my Pokéballs to see Houndoom and Budew standing tall, with Combusken and Shiftry falling over. It looks like Willis' Pokémon were too tired to go on, but mine regained strength. I look back at Willis, who falls to his knees.

"Wow, folks! It appears that Alex will be moving on to the semifinals!"

The crowd roars in excitement at the change in events, and I hug Budew and Houndoom. Immediately I go to heal my Pokémon, and then wait in the Coordinator Waiting Room to see the semifinal matchups. The matchups are in! Anne and I are on different matchups, so I'm safe from being eliminated too early.

My battle is with this other girl, and she has a Mudkip and a Chikorita. Beautifly and Dewott easily take them out with a few hits, so I automatically make it through to the finals within about two minutes. The worst part is: that hotshot trainer also made it into the finals.

. . .

"Now the final battle in the Verdanturf Contest is about to take place! This is a single battle, no substitutions, and only a fair game! Are you ready, coordinators?!" Vivian shouts enthusiastically.

"Easy as cake," Anne laughs.

"I don't like cake," I frown.

Anne sends out her Cherrim as I decide to use my Budew. Surely grass-on-grass battles should be decently appealing? Grass-types _do _have a beautiful sense to them.

"Cherrim, use Sunny Day!"

Suddenly, the ugly purple Pokémon belonging to Anne creates intense sunlight radiate from the sky above the dome. Its form changes from this to a beautiful pink flower Pokémon.

"So beautiful," I gasp.

"Cherrim, now use Petal Dance!"

A stream of pink petals slams into Budew, and while it did hardly an damage at all, Petal Dance managed to gain a lot of fans among the crowd.

"Budew, use Sleep Powder!"

Budew sprinkles a little green powder into the air, and Cherrim falls asleep. Slowly but surely, the sunlight is fading.

"SolarBeam!"

Budew absorbs the sunlight and shoots a beam of energy from its bud to the enemy. However, it seemed to not do much.

"What gives?" I ask.

"Flower Gift, it's ability, raises its Attack and Special Defense stats in the sunlight," Anne explains.

"Now, Cherrim, Weather Ball!"

Cherrim snaps awake and emits a gray ball from its petals. As the orb comes in contact with the sunlight, it turns into an orange attack and hits Budew super hard.

"Budew, use Synthesis!"

Budew heals itself of its damage as the sunlight prevails.

"Cherrim, use Petal Dance!"

"SolarBeam through the attack!"

The two attacks smash together and cancel one another out. The sunlight fades, and the pretty pink petals go back to the purple, overcast Pokémon that looks somewhat gross.

"Now finish it off with a powerful SolarBeam!"

Budew takes time to charge up.

"Sunny Day!"

Cherrim reverts back to its previous form and begins dancing around.

Budew rapidly launches several SolarBeam attacks, and eventual Cherrim falls over exhausted.

"Cherrim has fainted; so Budew and Alex have won the Verdanturf Contest! Congratulations!" Vivian Meridian squeals.

. . .

Finally I got my second ribbon out of the way. Despite what I had heard earlier, the Verdanturf Ribbon is orange-ish. Whatever. I return my Pokémon, get Dewott and the egg, and find Terra.

Soon enough, the requested Magma Helicopter comes. I had called to get an airlift to Fallarbor Town. We'll be there soon enough.

Before Terra and I were allowed on the helicopter, we had to go chance into our Magma uniforms. I've forgotten how they fit; they're kind of hot with all of the layers and what not.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

I bike with Grovyle and the egg past Fallarbor Town. We'll come back later. Right now I'm just focused on what's ahead; my next gym badge. Soon enough, we come upon a house in the woods.

"Hi, I'm Lanette. I build the PC Storage Center. Wanna see how it works?"

All I did was step in…and now this girl wants me to see her computer work? Fine by me. I look over her shoulder and watch her. She puts a Pokéball on this computer, and it is analyzed and zapped into the database itself.

"That's very cool!" I admire.

"Well, well, Aqua Boy. You're pretty cool for a bad guy," she smiles.

I have my Aqua uniform on!? No, she saw the patch.

"I have nothing else in life…anyways, what are you doing out here in the first place?"

"Well I was hiding from my adoring fans, but I do have the occasional drop-in from strangers. I give them gifts to have them leave. Do you want one?" she asks slyly. Now this is getting kind of creepy. I'm a teenager, not thirty.

"Uh, sure," I say.

She gets two boxes, one with a Pokéball in it and the other with a Pokédoll in it. She rapidly switches them over and over again.

"Don't pick the one on the right," she smiles.

"Uh, okay," I shrug and pick the one on the left. Grovyle leans against the doorway with the egg, and stares outside at my bike.

"No! You were supposed to pick the right one! Curiosity, kid! Dang it, now I'm going to have to find another one to hide," she frowns.

I open the box to find this…purple Pokéball with pink rims on the top. What _is _this?

"What is this thing?" I ask.

"That's a _very _special Pokéball. Only use it when you know it's the right time. That Pokéball…never fails at catching a Pokémon," Lanette explains.

In her hasty shamefulness, Lanette pushes me out of her house and says to never come back again. I put the ball in my pocket, and Grovyle, the egg, and I move on.

Eventually, we hear a voice from behind a bush. Whoever it was, I figure out what s/he wants—there's a giant cave right in front of me.

"Hey, Tony!" a voice calls for me.

"Who's that?"

"Come here, kid!"

It's Matt! Aqua Admin Matt can be seen hiding behind a bush, staring into the cave.

"Are you trying to get us caught or something?"

"Wh-What?!"

"Team Magma is right over there; they're searching for the same thing we are. That cave, that is known as Meteor Falls. That cave has one of the two things we're looking for…

"And those things are?"

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

The helicopter begins sputtering sparks and making strange noises once we went over this mountain.

"What's going on?" I ask loudly, so the helicopter pilot can hear me.

"Turbulence I guess," he mumbles. The kid is almost as old as I am.

Suddenly, a large _BOOM! _can be heard from the blades above…and we start falling uncontrollably, plummeting to the earth! Fiery pieces of the blades begin to break off the top, creating fireballs. Large pieces of metal begin to scrape off the helicopter's exterior.

"We're gonna die!" Terra screams.

Dewott grips the egg tightly. I grip Dewott tightly. Terra cowers in the corner.

"What are we gonna do?!" the pilot screams as he runs to us.

"I don't know!" I scream.

Wait…if the pilot is in here…then who's…

"GET BACK IN YOUR ROOM!"

It's too late, because in a few seconds, I can see the ground coming in fast…no, we're coming down fast. Anyway, we have about five seconds before the helicopter explodes.

"Find something to grab!" Terra screams.

Four.

"I don't know what to do!" the kid whines.

Three.

"Dewott?!"

Two.

I thrust myself, Dewott, and the egg out of the side of the helicopter. Terra does the same, but on the opposite side. As we jump out, the power of the explosion rockets us far from the wreckage.

_DDDOOOOOOMMMM!_

From an aerial view, you can see Dewott lying down, still holding the unscathed egg. Beside of Dewott, I am struggling between consciousness…or maybe it's death.

Whatever it is, I see the silhouette of a person standing over me.

"You're going to be okay," the voice says. It sounds feminine.

"Who…"

"I'm Courtney, Magma Admin. I'll have you patched up in a jiffy. As for you, just lie there and don't move. You have a deep cut in your leg, but you should make it. I'll go get the medical bag. You're lucky you landed on this sand by the cave," the shape tells me.

"Thank…you…"

"Dewott!"

It sounds like Dewott is fine, and I'm assuming by its happy nature that the egg is too.

"Dewott…we're never flying again…"

"Wott…"

. . .

Terra wakes up from her journey to the earth's surface to two faces—Tony and an Aqua Admin.

"What do we do with her?" Tony asks.

"Well, she can't know we're here…so we'll have to hold her hostage. It might help get information," the voice replies.

"We can't do that! I know this girl—she's a good person!"

"Maybe, but we can't leave her here; she's from Team Magma. Besides, we can't let her tell her buddies where we are!"

"But…"

"I'll get the cuffs," the Admin says.

"Tony…what happened?" Terra asks.

"From the sky, it looked like you were flung from a helicopter once its propeller blades messed up. It looked like…your blades were set on fire."

The other person walks up, rolls Terra on her stomach, and cuffs her.

"Take her away, Grunts!" he yells.

Two Aqua Grunts come and pick me up, and then they drag me away to their private area. Blades? Set on fire? Who would do such a thing?

Terra is sent to the temporary Aqua Hideout and has her mouth duct-taped. Could this get any worse?!

. . .

Willis laughs as he watches the helicopter fall from the sky. He pets Combusken and continues laughing deeply.

"Good Fire Blast, Combusken. You're going to be great in the next contest," he smiles.

He turns his attention back to the plummeting helicopter.

"That's what you get for cheating, girls! Safe trip! _Have a nice fall!_"

And with that, he plops at the picnic table and enjoys a nice meal with his Combusken and Shiftry. He still thinks she's hot.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

"Anyways," Matt continues, "we're after this meteorite from Meteor Falls. As the name suggests, it is rumored to have meteors crash in the cave all the time. From there, we use the meteorite to power the machine we will be using…to make Mt. Chimney, an active volcano, dormant! Then land can no longer expand; for the seas will swallow up all but a tiny portion for Team Aqua to thrive on. Maybe we'll keep Petalburg City, or Slateport City, and rename it Aqua City!"

So that's the main plan so far. While it sounds completely irrational, I could imagine just one city made for those who supported the aquatic views. However…that means many innocent people would lose their homes/lives. While it may seem crazy, yet cool, it's still crazy. Oh well, I did sign up for this.

"Once we get near Mt. Chimney, you will temporarily live in a new Aqua Hideout base, so you don't have to reserve rooms in Little Ms. Cheery's Nursery," he feels through his slick hair.

"Well shouldn't we get the meteorite now, then?"

"Oh, right!"

. . .

Sean bikes past Fallarbor Town, but he eventually gets lost. He even begins riding so fast that he crashes down a hill, landing in a giant bush.

"Ow, I think I pulled something," he frowns, and then starts to pick himself up.

"Here, let me help with that," a voice whispers.

Sean whirls around to see a Magma Admin looking him in the face.

"Well, well, well! Looks like we have an eavesdropper from Team Aqua. You'll be the first prisoner of many in our humble abode," Tabitha smiles, and knocks Sean to the floor and cuffs him.

Tabitha gets his walkie talkie and contacts Maxie.

"We've caught an Aqua spy, so we might want to start heading in soon. The stalemate can end."

"Move in, then. Groudon's waiting for us!"

"Yessir!"

"Oh, and Tabitha? Don't disappoint me. I want the meteorite _and _the professor."

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

I hear a pair of feet coming in the cave; it's Courtney again.

"Here, drink this. I'll patch up your leg," she smiles. Her long, black hair is hidden by her Magma costume.

I drink something, but I don't care what it is. Suddenly, two more pairs of feet scamper into the caves.

"What was that?" I ask.

"I'll check it out," she replies.

A few seconds later I hear noises from the other side of me.

"Matt, get _out _of this cave! It belongs to Team Magma; not Aqua!"

"I don't see your name on it," one of the newcomers says.

"I'll write it down right now!" she scampers for a pen to engrave in the rocks.

"Too late; look right here," he points to his name and Team Aqua already carved into the rocks.

"Let's stop the games and settle this like real Pokémon Trainers!"

"With a battle? Please, girl, you don't know how to battle!"

Courtney's Flareon and Typhlosion go up against Matt's Feraligatr and Vaporeon. They battle it out, while the other set of footsteps comes up to me.

"What happened?!" Tony yelps.

"Tony?! Is that you?" I struggle, but manage to sit up. Tony pulls me over to lean against the wall of Meteor Falls.

"Airplane crash! Of course!" he gasps.

Grovyle is holding his egg just as Dewott is holding mine.

"We have one of your Aqua Grunts held captive; we found him biking toward the cave shortly after the explosion," Courtney says.

"We have one of your Magma Grunts _from _the explosion," Matt counters back.

"Sean!" Tony realizes.

"And Terra, too!" I groan.

"Can you get on your feet?" Tony asks, and he helps me raise myself up.

"Yeah, I think so. Courtney patched me up, so I can walk now. I was bleeding out, though," I manage.

Suddenly a scientist guy with a medium-sized rock walks up, sees us, and runs back.

"That was Professor Cozmo!" Tony exclaims. I guess Matt told him everything.

Matt and Courtney both are still feuding; so they did not see anything of the professor. Quietly, Tony and I run towards the man to go and help him. I only make a slow jog.

We find him and tell him that we're here to help him with the meteorite.

"How do I know that you guys don't want to take it and use it for evil?"

"We're not," Tony glances at me, "like the others."

"Yeah," I assure.

"Well…okay. But only because you two are kids and not scary adults. Anyway, let's get out through the back entrance.

As we begin running back, we skip down ledges and hop over rocks. Grovyle and Dewott follow behind with the eggs Tony's mom gave us. Finally, the view of the entrance is in view.

But then…

. . .

Shelly grabs a hold of the handle of the TNT explosives. She has them put all in the other entrance, so that way Professor Cozmo can't escape.

"Surely he won't escape us too easily," she smiles, and then pushes down on the handle.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

Suddenly, a dozen red lights begin blinking above us; on the ceiling.

"Those look like…" I begin.

"Explosives!" Alex finishes.

We run faster (Alex jogs as quickly as she can) to beat the bombs and get out alive. However, they explode right above us.

"Everybody get down! Now!" the professor cries.

Rocks being crumbling from the ceiling, and then giant boulders begin crashing down. One narrowly dodges my left shoulder, and we all run to the wall and hide. Grovyle and Dewott protect the eggs.

"Go, Corphish! Use your new move, Protect!" I scream, thrusting the Pokéball from my belt and letting my Ruffian Pokémon out.

"Phish!"

Corphish immediately produces a green force-field that protects us from the falling boulders. Although it's getting tired, my Corphish has to keep the barrier up until the rockslide subsides.

"Now what are we going to do? Corphish can't keep us alive forever…" Alex panics.

"Well, I guess we're just going to suffocate," the scientist frowns.

I look at the both of them, panicking. Our Pokémon are still holding the close-to-hatching eggs, but Dewott is upset. Grovyle is casually leaning on the rock with the twig in its mouth.

"You know what to do, don't you, Grovyle?" I ask.

"Gro?"

"Guys, I have a plan."

"Well we're not going anywhere; what is it?" the scientist urges me to explain.

"Alex, does your Dewott still know Icy Wind?"

"Yes?"

"Perfect."


	20. To Good Beginnings

**Part 20**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

Grovyle begins digging through the floor to create a path; an escape route. I'm never getting rid

of that move. Ever.

"Now Dewott, use Icy Wind on Corphish's Protect. The strong ice should hold the boulders back long enough for us to get down and not get squashed," I explain, and Dewott begins freezing the green force field.

"Now go!" I shout. The scientist goes first, hopping down the hole and following Grovyle. Next Alex goes, and then I return Corphish.

"Dewott!" I yell, and Dewott stops freezing and comes down the hole after me.

Soon after Dewott and I head into the hole, Dewott regroups with Alex as I bring up the rear. I hear the ice break, and soon rocks begin sliding down the hole and following us.

"Grovyle, dig at a higher angle! That way gravity will slow them down and they'll stop!"

Grovyle digs upwards, and soon enough the sound of rocks stops.

"I see the surface!" the scientist guy announces as he plops his head out of the ground. Grovyle widens the hole so Alex can climb straight up and get over. I still bring up the rear, holding both eggs for us, and give Alex hers.

"Ah, fresh air," he smiles.

Alex and I quickly glance at each other, smiling. I guess she realized it too, for we both jumped and kind of looked away. Maybe…

Once we're all free, Dewott uses Water Pulse to make the trail filled with mud. No one can go in or out now.

"Ah, there you guys are!" Courtney shouts.

"I'll have the Team Aqua boy arrested, don't worry," she smiles.

"No need for that," Maxie comes out of the woods. He doesn't look like Maxie though.

"Maxie!?" Courtney gasps.

"Professor Cozmo, give me the meteorite," he smiles.

The man, scared, does so.

Maxie grabs my arm and pulls his face off. HE PULLED HIS FACE OFF. Oh, it was a mask.

"Nice to meet you," Matt smiles, and we run. Well, he runs. I'm dragged behind. Grovyle gasps, grabs the egg I couldn't grab, and uses Quick Attack to catch up.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

"Well, looks like we'll just have to use you for now," Courtney grins at Professor Cozmo.

She cuffs him and drags us away, although I'm dragged by the arm as I'm not in trouble; rather, she's amazed at my abilities.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

_Location: Team Aqua Base—Mt. Chimney_

"Tony, you did remarkable work with that meteorite. Not only that, you kept the professor alive and even helped a Magma Grunt girl. Your valor, wit, and impulse has granted you one thing: you are now an Admin of Team Aqua," Archie explained to me, feeling of his facial hair.

"Really?!" I gasp, excited. Grovyle seems cheery as it holds the egg, which is still ferociously wobbling.

"Yes. Your first task will be tomorrow—you are in charge of a group of grunts to place the rock in the machine. From there, you flip the switch and stand back. The rest of us will be cheering you on as you suffice with the meteorite," he explains.

It doesn't sound too bad; and I'm being rewarded up! What will Sean think…if I ever see him again? Pff, I'm still mad at him. Who cares?

"You just have to _climb _Mt. Chimney."

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

"You are now promoted to Admin of Team Magma! You saved the meteorite, which we still lost, got us the professor, and helped that kid survive. You have earned this privilege. Your task will be tomorrow, where you, a band of grunts, and the professor will go up Mt. Chimney on foot and search for another meteorite. From there, you just put the rock in the machine and flip the switch. We'll be watching your heroic triumph!" Maxie drones on and on.

Really? Admin?! Terra would be so amazed and happy, but she's in the clutches of Team Aqua…Her best friend…is in the hands of Anthony.

. . .

Sean wakes up in a prison cell. The walls ooze slightly with a yellow liquid.

"That's the magma beginning to form into lava as it cools outside the volcano," a guard explains.

"Touch it and you're dead. If you survive, you'll be transferred to a new place. Good luck."

Sean backs into the cell's front wall and huddles on a bed.

"I should've stuck with Tony," he keeps mumbling.

"I…I should've stuck with Tony."

. . .

Terra herself is awakened to find herself underwater. Apparently, from a guard nearby, Terra has been sent from Meteor Falls to another base, out near Oldale Town.

Her room is leaking; filling up with water. If she is good, she'll survive and move on to another place, where she won't drown. If she does anything bad, she'll drown with the fishes.

. . .

Willis bends down at the top of the mountain, waiting for Tony to come up.

"Once he comes here, I'll push him in and take Alex for myself," he says to himself.

"I'm so lonely," he whines.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

I step into the cable car with Grovyle and the egg. I'm to ride up to meet my group, and then storm up the volcano with triumph. As we ride, I look at the ashes falling down on the route Grovyle and I were on before. I see the spot where Sean and I split up. _I feel so guilty._ That's what went through my mind.

As I meet up with the group, I hand the meteorite to a grunt and we begin trekking up the mountain.

The egg I got from my mom starts to jiggle ferociously. I can't wait to see what this light-blue egg is. What _could _it be?

Soon enough we reach the summit. I grab the meteorite and put it in the machine. Archie arrives with Team Aqua and they begin clapping. I hear something in the bushes, and look over to see what it is.

Wait, not _what. _But _who._

Whatever it is, I hastily lower the switch before it can interfere. Immediately after, the volcano begins getting colder and colder; the heat is being sucked dry! The magma flowing down deep in the crater begins to cool.

Then I see the thing in the bushes.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

The professor found another meteorite big enough as we climbed the mountain. I continue up and we make it to the top, where the Magma Machine is. I put the rock in and lower the lever. Suddenly, I hear a noise on the other side of the volcano.

"Tony?!" I scream.

"Alex?!" a voice replies. The egg in Dewott's arms moves like crazy. It'll be hatching soon.

The volcano begins to get very hot; lava begins flowing again.

. . .

The volcano repeatedly heated and cooled, heated and cooled. Eventually, the two machines trigger tremors among the earth's crust. Both machines vibrate from the magnitude, and they fall in the lava and melt away into nothingness.

"The meteorite!" Archie called from his chopper.

"My work!" Maxie did the same.

Noises come from inside the volcano. All Tony and Alex can do is take a peek to say what's truly happening.

Three feet closer, and their faces would have been burned off.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

"ERUPTION!" I scream as I run down the volcano's slope. Lava flows behind me. I see Alex is following me with Dewott. Right now, the two of us are just leading our groups out of harm's way. Maxie and Archie retreated to their helicopters to protect them from the explosion.

"How much time do we have?" she asks.

"We have time anymore?" I laugh.

"We have to get these grunts out of here," she sighs.

"Or…"

"I know, Alex. we'll go to the cable cars," I comfort her, putting my hand on her back. She looks at my face. My face gets hot. It's from the eruption, I guess. The two of us lean in and I whisper something in her ear.

"I wouldn't trade you for anything. Not even getting Aqua Leader. I don't care if we're enemies."

She thinks for a minute. She then grabs my hand.

"Neither do I," she whispers, "because all this time I couldn't help but fight this feeling…"

One grunt cuts us short.

"Hey, forbidden lovers? Look _behind you!_"

Behind us, a fast trail of lava flows down the steep slope. We're just, maybe, five feet away from dying.

Our two groups run to the cable cars. I load Alex, Dewott, and her egg in first, then Grovyle and my egg, and then the two groups head in. I kick the start button beside the car and scramble to the door.

All twenty-or-so of us watch as trees melt from the fiery lava. Pokémon run away. Fire types, though, are comfortably standing in the lava. I see a Growlithe bathing in it.

Taillow, Pidgeotto, Staravia, and Tranquill fly away. Noctowl can be seen trying to protect their nests, but to no avail.

"This is horrible," Alex gasps.

_This _is what Team Magma wants. Destruction of everything else to get more land. More land means less water for the water-Pokémon! And less drinking water for us humans!

"We have to do something," I whisper.

"I know."

Grovyle and Dewott chat, holding their eggs. Soon enough (almost too soon), we come to an end and retreat to our Team Bases. As I tell Alex goodbye, I look over to my group.

"One word of this to anybody, and you'll all be bathing with the Growlithe."

That should shut them up.

. . .

_**Still Tony**_

_Location: Team Aqua Retreat Base of Mt. Chimney_

"Now, Team Aqua," Archie begins over a rather large crowd, "I know that we did not succeeded in making the active volcano dormant, but this failure is okay. Why? Team Magma planned to make it a never-ending eruption of land. It has stopped already. Team Magma also lost everything. The professor fled the scene. A small portion of you were saved today by our new Aqua Admin. Tony, please stand."

I stand up with Grovyle and the egg. Thousands of pairs of eyes stare at me.

"Tony is ranking up faster than anyone I've ever seen. Many of you owe him your lives, maybe more than one time over. Tony shall now be treated with respect. He is constantly on the move, training and gaining knowledge. You should all follow in his example of making the world a better place. Don't just do this for yourselves; do this for your organization! Do this," he gets excited, "for TEAM AQUA!"

"AQUAAA!" the crowd cheers. Bandanas go up in the air.

"Tony, name anything you need, and we'll be sure to get it."

"Well, there are a few things," I tell him, "but some I will need to talk to you in person.

A few people in the crowd snigger. My face reddens, but I get over it and wait for the assembly to be over. As everyone disperses, I go over to Archie.

"Yes, my son?"

_My son? You are not my father. Sorry, but you will never be the father figure._

"Oh, I was wondering if I could travel to Lavaridge Town and get my fourth gym badge?" I ask politely, with Grovyle behind me.

"Of course! What else?"

"Well," I think, "one of Team Aqua's members was captured at Meteor Falls. Could we send out a search party?"

"But of course!"

"Oh, and, for future reference, I have one more question. What kind of relations with Team Magma members can we have? Can we be friends?"

"Absolutely not! Fraternizing with the enemy? Preposterous! Tell whoever did so that he is in big trouble!"

"Y-yessir!"

Crap. Just…crap.

. . .

Alex pretty much got the same answer. Team Magma was upset with the half-victory, but was happy that Team Aqua failed. Alex has been sent to Lavaridge Town for the hot springs, and a search party has been sent out for Terra.

. . .

Terra wakes up from a long trip. She bends her legs, just to find that she can't. She opens her eyes.

"No!" she screams.

All she can see is sand—yes, sand. She's…lost in the desert.

"Keep her there until the drought and heat _kill _her," Archie can be heard saying from the radio.

"Yes sir," Matt awkwardly agrees, obviously seeing the evilness in this.

"I'm sorry, but you'll be staying here for a while," he frowns, and walks out of the room.

"No! Please! Help me!"

"I want Team Magma to see what happens when there is no water," the voice from the radio grimaces.

Matt sighs, knowing how wrong this act is, but walks out of the tower as well.

Yes, a tower. She recognized the location and place from a storybook. It's a tower—Mirage Tower. In a battle of days, it will disappear. With her in it.

. . .

Sean's life may be shorter. He is tied up amongst the rocks along the coastline of Oldale Town. Overran by Team Magma, Oldale townsfolk enjoy walking along the coast, watching the tied-up Aqua grunt squirming to stay alive. Pelipper circle him in the air. As the tides roll in, they was against his face. Soon enough, Sean will die. Whether predator, starvation, or thirst causes this, it is certain: Sean will be killed by the sea.

"Team Aqua! Ha! They're so dumb," Tabitha smiles as he watches Sean lose health.

"Now they can see what they're doing."

. . .

Willis is hot on Team Aqua's trail, or so he thinks. He jumps over ledges, runs across logs, and trudges through rivers to find where Tony is next.

"I will destroy you, Tony!" he screams, but then falls over a twig and slaps his face on the ground.

Why are people so cruel nowadays?


	21. Hatching a Plan

**Part 21**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu_

I, a brand-new Aqua Admin, walk with my Grovyle while holding my egg. I'm wearing my civilian clothes to protect my identity. My light-blue egg is about to hatch; it shakes every few seconds.

Lavaridge Town isn't completely bland compared to Oldale Town or other boring areas. There's a hot spring connected to the Pokémon Center, and a Gym there as well. Grovyle and I decide to head there first and get it over with. We walk in and are greeted by a girl with fiery-red, peculiar hair and a really short t-shirt.

"Hi, I'm Flannery, the Fire-type Gym Leader of Lavaridge!" the girl smiles.

"Hey, I'm Tony, and this is my partner Grovyle," I return, and Grovyle politely greets the strong trainer.

"Can we get a battle now? I'm on the Gym Badge quest," I ask.

"Sure, but I want to do a five-on-five, if that's okay," she continues, and guides me to a field behind the gym.

"_Just one problem: I have four Pokémon and an egg," _I remind myself. Oh well, I'm sure I won't need to even use all of the four Pokémon I _do _have.

"This battle between Anthony of Littleroot Town and Flannery, the Lavaridge Gym Leader, will begin! Each trainer _must _have five Pokémon, and only the challenger is allowed to use substitutions. Now let the battle…" he pauses. "Begin!"

"Go, Hariyama!" I shout.

My giant sumo wrestling Pokémon slams onto the ground and warms up by thrusting a few punches at the air.

"Go, Slugma!" Flannery calls.

A slug on fire? Ha! It'll just scorch itself to death, right?

"Slugma, use Yawn!"

Slugma yawns a pink bubble, which floats over to Hariyama and pops in its face.

"What was the point of that? Hariyama, Brick Break!"

Slugma ends up falling over unconscious.

"No! Ugh, Slugma, return…your work will pay off in the long run. Now, Vulpix, I choose you!"

A cool fox comes out of the Pokéball and poses as if its nobler than Hariyama.

"Confuse Ray."

Vulpix's eyes turn blue, and then Hariyama begins to lose its own senses; not being able to see much.

"Try to hit it with Brick Break!"

Hariyama, luckily, is able to, again, one hit knock-out the opponent's Pokémon.

"Vulpix…return. You did great, this guy is _really _strong. Now, Monferno, go!"

Suddenly, as the fiery monkey is sent out, Hariyama falls over asleep.

"Monferno, use this as the perfect moment for Nasty Plot!"

Monferno begins laughing, and white thought bubbles appear over its head. Then, its eyes flicker and smiles menacingly.

"Hariyama, wake up!"

No response from my end, but Monferno unleashes a Fire Blast—which knocks Hariyama out in one measly hit. I return Hariyama, praise it, and send out Grovyle. Now, it's "four" left for me versus the three that Flannery still has.

"Grovyle, take the floor!" I mumble.

Grovyle, confused, gets on the field.

"Use Fire Blast!"

"Dodge it with Quick Attack and knock it out with Acrobatics!"

Grovyle narrowly misses the inferno and is able to start flipping around the field, and then it hits Monferno with a super-strong hit that knocks it out.

"Return, Monferno. Torkoal, I choose you!"

A turtle comes out and immediately erupts on Grovyle, but my Pokémon is able to use Dig to evade the attack just in time. As it waits, lava spews around the field.

"Torkoal, use Earthquake!"

Oh no. Earthquake will do too much damage on Grovyle if it's down below.

"Grovyle, get out NOW!"

It's too late, Grovyle suffers the blow and comes out with scars and scrapes.

"Use Leaf Blade!"

Grovyle's leaves turn into giant green blades, and they slice at Torkoal repeatedly.

"Use Iron Defense!"

The attacks bounce off of the now-protected Torkoal.

"Now use Eruption!"

Grovyle is still flying over Torkoal from the last Leaf Blade, and Eruption knocks it out as the attack is emitted from Torkoal's shell. Now it's 3-2 in my favor.

I pull Grovyle back onto the field and it holds the egg for me.

"Corphish, come on out and use Crabhammer!" I scream.

The Ruffian Pokémon's right pincer glows white as it slams against Torkoal's shell, knocking the Pokémon on its side.

"Ha! Torkoal is protected from those physical attacks!"

"Yes, by physical attacks maybe. But Corphish knows other moves, too," I smile.

Suddenly, Torkoal launches an attack from its shell, knocking Corphish out.

"What?!"

"While your Corphish was knocking Torkoal around, it was charging a SolarBeam attack. Looks like it's all tied up!" she laughs.

She's good. However, all I have left is Swablu…I don't have a fifth Pokémon…Maybe her last one isn't super strong?

"Go, Swablu! Use Mist!"

Swablu flies out of its Pokéball and cloaks the field in a mist, hiding itself. However, Swablu can still see Torkoal.

"Use Hyper Voice!"

Swablu screeches, and the attack knocks Torkoal out.

"Torkoal, return. Well, buddy, this is your time to shine!" Flannery continues.

Out comes this…red monkey. Its eyebrows are on fire. Its arms are longer than anything else. What is this thing?

"Darmanitan, use Fire Punch!"

The mist helps, though, as Swablu is able to avoid the attack and hit the ape with an Aerial Ace. However, the next Fire Punch doesn't miss. Swablu cries out in pain as the mist lifts.

"It's burned! Swablu, immediately! Use Heal Bell!" I cringe.

Swablu heals itself, making a virtual bell appear and chime. The burn severely weakened my Swablu…it won't last much longer.

"Now use Hyper Voice!"

Swablu screeches again, hitting Darmanitan hard. However, Flannery's Pokémon knocks Swablu out with a super effective Rock Slide. I recall Swablu and stand, frozen, in a pile of shame and lies.

"Tony? Send out your fifth Pokémon! Hurry!" Flannery stammers.

"The funny thing is that I…don't have another Pokémon," I sigh.

"You lied to me?" she gasps.

"Okay then. You still have ten seconds to send out your fifth Pokémon. I don't think you can catch one in ten seconds. Well, seven now," the ref laughs. I make an ugly face at him.

"You _lied_ to me!"

Grovyle screams out "Groooh!" all of a sudden.

"I know, it's over," I cry.

"Vyle!" it cries, punching me with its hand.

"Ow! What's the big idea?" I snarl, looking at him. Whoa, what timing!

The blue egg in Grovyle's arms is hatching at this moment. The shell's top gets a small crack in it, and then another! And another! Soon enough, the whole top portion of the egg is in fragmented pieces. The Pokémon inside gently taps the top, and it falls off and onto the ground. I peer inside the egg to find the cutest Pokémon ever.

"Ph…Phanpy!" it shrieks in utter happiness. The blue elephant-like Pokémon jumps from Grovyle's arms and begins prancing around the field as if it planned this all along.

"Well, you have your fifth Pokémon with two seconds to spare. Flannery…" the ref looks at her for approval.

"I don't like the lie, but he _does _have five Pokémon now!" Flannery seems cheerful again.

"But…"

But?! But what?!

"But," she repeats, "I have this game in the bag."

It's true. Phanpy has no experience whatsoever. I check the PokéNav to see what moves it knows. I'm really surprised upon seeing all of them. Ice Shard, Rollout, Bulldoze, and Tackle. Those are good moves.

"Darmanitan, finish this off with Rock Slide!" Flannery commands.

Darmanitan shows no mercy. However, Phanpy screams at the hurtling rocks and dodges using Rollout.

"Weird, I didn't think it could dodge that. Never mind. Darmanitan, use Fire Punch!"

Darmanitan starts running towards Phanpy, my little blue elephant, with a fist of fire. Phanpy uses Bulldoze—it begins bouncing on the ground to create seismic activity. From there, Darmanitan slows down just enough for Phanpy to evade the attack.

"That's it, I'm done! Darmanitan, use _Flare Blitz!" _

Darmanitan glows bright red and charges at Phanpy. However, my Pokémon, whose fear of the opponent steadily increases, uses Ice Shard to protect itself. As Ice Shard has priority, it immediately stops Darmanitan in its tracks. Darmanitan is so weak from all of the moves used that the fragments of ice that were thrown at the Blazing Pokémon were just enough—_just enough—_to knock it out. Darmanitan falls over unconscious while Phanpy begins rolling in the dirt happy again.

"Did I just lose…to a newly hatched _Phanpy?_" Flannery gasps, falling to her knees. She recalls Darmanitan and rocks back and forth in panic.

I'm still frozen in shock. Once Phanpy sees me, it runs over and Tackles me onto the ground playfully.

"Phanpy, you don't know what you've just done to help me. Thank you so much!" I laugh, playing with the cute new Pokémon.

Flannery comes over and gives me the Heat Badge, which looks like fire. Four badges down, four to go. Phanpy has officially earned a spot on my team. Thanks Mom!

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew_

I venture to the Pokémon Center and find this peculiar doorway in the back of the hospital. I sneak through and find myself at a spa—no! A Hot Spring!

"Come on out, guys!" I laugh.

Dewott, Houndoom, and Budew soak in the nice, warm water. Beautifly dips its feet in, but doesn't want its wings wet. I take off my shirt and pants to reveal a bathing suit from underneath them. I throw them beside my bag, which is beside the edge of the ground by the spring. The egg lies comfortably on the clothes. I hop in and have fun.

After about an hour, a Slugma inches close to the Pokémon egg. Once it leaves, the egg begins to hatch. The top is being cracked off! I get out of the water to get a closer look.

The tan egg shakes once, twice, and then the top plops right off! I look at this…snow hat?

"Snow! Snorunt!" the Pokémon cheers. It's wearing a snow hat, I think. It has little dark feet and an unrevealed body beneath the hat.

"Well that thing's cute!" I chime.

Suddenly, the Pokémon sees me and glares evilly. It's using some sort of attack on me—is it called Leer? It's kind of creepy.

"Snorunt, come relax!" I continue, and Snorunt hops in the spring for a dip.

Soon enough, some travelers come for some relaxation. They pet and talk with my Pokémon kindly. However, Snorunt seems to hate company.

"Snorunt!"

It uses an Icy Wind attack, like Dewott has, and freezes me, Dewott, Beautifly's feet, Budew, and the travelers. Houndoom seems unaffected by the attack, and all I can see is blurred by the ice.

Houndoom uses Flamethrower, melting the ice and warming the water up a little. Everyone else gets mad and leaves. Snorunt gets mad and runs up in front of them, uses a Spikes attack, which hurts their feet and makes them even madder, and leaves back to me.

"Sorry! It just hatched!" I tried to explain.

"Get a grip on that mischievous thing!"

I recall Snorunt, and later everyone else but Dewott.

"Wott!" it tells me, signaling the arrival of someone I know.

"Terra?!"

I look to see—oh no. It's Tony in Team Aqua trunks. I dive underwater with Dewott and we hide.

Snorunt comes out of its Pokéball and sees what's happening. Happily, it runs to Tony and guides him to my Hot Spring.

"What is it, Pokémon?" he asks, unaware of Snorunt's species.

I eventually have to come up for air. When I do, my cheeks fluster. Tony seems really embarrassed too.

"Hey, your Pokémon led me here. Trust me, I didn't plan on seeing you in—" he tries to explain.

"Oh, save it for later," she shrugs.

Snorunt looks at me and grins evilly.

"Oh no!"

Snorunt uses Icy Wind on the pool.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

I look for a fire-type Pokémon to use. Alex has a Houndoom, right? I find its Pokéball and melt the icy layer back into the hot spring.

"Snorunt, _return!" _Alex shouts, and then zips the ball up in the corner pocket of her bag.

"Sorry, your mom's egg hatched for me," she laughs.

"Mine did too, and it won me the gym battle. I got a Phanpy," I laugh back.

Then, the two of us and our Pokémon relax in the hot springs for the rest of the evening.

"It's too bad Sean couldn't be here," I sigh.

"Terra too…"

"Wait!" we both gasp.

"I know where Terra is! Since my admin status, I was told she was in the desert somewhere," I quickly explain to her.

"Since I got admin, too, I learned that Sean is in the ocean by Oldale Town or something," Alex continues.

We both nod, thank each other, and I grab her hand.

"Maybe we should do this again sometime, or something. You know…to relax from all the tension of things…or maybe to ease the pain of something that happens or…"

"Shh. We'll do this later," she smiles, hushing me. I go way too far.

We both dart off to save our friends. Grovyle, of course, goes with me, as Dewott heads with Alex.

"And Alex!" I scream.

"Yeah?" she asks from in front of me, running.

"Be careful."

"Y-you too," she stops, looks back, smiles, and starts running again.

These mixed feelings…I can't comprehend them anymore. All I know is…Sean needs my help.

And he needs it fast.


	22. F is for Friends

**Part 22**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

The more and more I think of my fights with Sean, the more and more I begin to feel guilty for leading up to this. I could have at least been a _bit _nicer to him, even he could have been to me, too. I mean, it's not his fault he's in this mess—it's mine, right?

I call up a helicopter to give me a lift to Oldale Town. That's where Alex says that he was left at. I hop on the gray chopper and pull aboard my Grovyle and Phanpy. As we get lifted off the ground, I can't help but think of how Alex experienced an explosion. Phanpy and Grovyle enjoy the view as I wait patiently to get to Oldale.

As soon as we do, I thank the pilot and go right to jump into the ocean. I hop in and begin swimming to look for Sean. She said he's tied up along the rocks. It's low tide right now, so he should be visible…

"Ooooh," a groan can be heard.

I swim as fast as I can to the voice. I look across the bay to see Grovyle and Phanpy playing. I keep going to find a limp body along the rocks sticking out of the ocean.

"Sent to…be taught a lesson…on water," he whispers. He's freezing cold.

I untangle him from the rocks and somehow manage to get him on the shore. From there, I call for Nurse Joy and she takes him in for some warm soup. He's been without food for two days. One day more and he would be food for the Wingull.

After a few hours, he's up and chipper again. We thank Nurse Joy and decide to have a battle to flare up Sean's skills again.

"Five on five!" I shout.

I send out my Swablu as my friend calls for his Breloom. Weird, I have the advantage and I picked first.

Anyways, Swablu knocks Breloom out with Aerial Ace. I recall my Pokémon as Sean brings his back in its Pokéball.

"Go, Corphish!" I yell.

"Torkoal, good luck!"

Torkoal falls to a Bubble Beam. Is he even trying?

"Torkoal…return…"

"Come back, Corphish!" Corphish is mad it didn't get a fight. Oh well.

"Step on in, Grovyle!"

"Wingull, good luck!"

Grovyle is able to use Leaf Blade to straight-up KO Wingull. We recall our Pokémon _again_ and I decide that he should try harder, with different tactics.

"Try to _dodge_!" I explain.

Now it's Hariyama versus Abra. As Hariyama attacks repeatedly, Abra Teleports to dodge the attack. Eventually, Hariyama gets tired out and finally uses one Ice Punch, which actually knocks Abra out on the spot.

"Ehehe…" I shrug.

Finally, his Surskit is set to battle my newly-hatched Phanpy.

"Surskit has a lot of experience, so hopefully it can beat Phanpy. Be careful, this Pokémon took out a Darmanitan," I explain.

"A _Darmanitan?_ Come on, Anthony. I wasn't dropped on my head."

Okay, don't believe me? Show them Phanpy. Show them all.

"Phanpy, use Ice Shard!"

Phanpy throws hunks of ice at Surskit.

"Use Aqua Jet!"

"Dodge it with Rollout, then attack it head-on!"

Surskit comes rocketing towards Phanpy in a stream of water, however my Long Nose Pokémon rolls away in a ball, and then crashes against Surskit, knocking it out.

"That Phanpy is surely something else," Sean sighs, returning his beloved Surskit.

"Yeah, I know," I murmur, recalling Phanpy.

He decides that we should move on to my next Gym Battle, which is at Petalburg City, and we decide to jog in order to save time.

"At least I didn't completely fail," he smiles.

"Yeah!"

"I did, didn't I?"

"…Yeah."

We laugh.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew, Snorunt_

Dewott manages to keep me hydrated as we walk through the never-ending desert. We look for a tower that she could be kept in—whatever is hiding her. Some old man she asked directions from called it the _Mirage Tower._

"Dewott, do you see anything?" I wheeze. I'm losing oxygen from this sandstorm. Soon enough, we come upon this tower. If you can call it that.

I call out Snorunt, and it and Dewott freeze the base of the tower so it doesn't crumble.

"Let's get Terra back," I smile at Dewott.

"Alex, is that you?!" a voice screams from the top of the tower.

"We're coming to get you!" I reply loudly. I hope she heard.

The Pokémon stay behind to keep the tower from falling as I run up the steps inside. The tower is crumbly—it's like a sand castle built by a five-year-old. I run up the winding steps and find Terra, tied, dying of thirst.

"I haven't had water in hours. One of the admin people brought me a tiny gla—" she starts coughing.

I untie her and we run down the steps. Soon enough, we're out of the castle and Dewott uses Water Pulse on Terra, who gets soaked in return.

"Let's get to Oldale Town," I explain, "that's the next Contest Hall!"

I call for a quick flight as we wait outside the desert.

. . .

"Now that we're here…how about a little contest battle?" Terra smiles, obviously feeling better already.

"Fine by me. I'll be using my newer Pokémon!"

"Go, Slugma and Emolga!"

"Budew, Snorunt, I choose you!"

With a fire slug and a flying squirrel on one end, my budding flower and snow hat look rather lackluster in comparison. That doesn't matter, or no. What matters are the techniques.

"Snorunt, Icy Wind!"

Snorunt brings a bitter-cold breeze on Terra's side of the field, and Emolga's wings are grounded—the Pokémon is now slowed and limp.

"Slugma, use Flame Burst!"

Slugma spits out a fiery orb at Budew.

"Uh, uh, uh!" I panic.

Budew then, in haste, squirts water out of its bud—this severely weakens the attack to basically nothing.

"Was that Water Sport?" I ask, and Terra nods.

"At the perfect time, too," she adds.

"Now use Shadow Ball, Snorunt!"

Snorunt creates a ball of dark energy, which is launched at Slugma. The Pokémon faints from the hard attack.

"Budew, charge up and fire a SolarBeam!"

Budew is able to complete the two-turn attack due to Emolga's wings being frozen. This attack knocks the Pokémon out, and I win the practice battle.

"If we really do battle, though," Terra starts, "in the contest, I'll be ready. Ready to win."

"Good luck, then," I smirk.

I then run off to the Contest Hall to enter into the contest. After I register, I learn that I'm too early. I have to wait _two days. _

"No time to waste, then! Let's train!" I shout, letting Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew, and Snorunt join Dewott in a training session.

"Now Houndoom, I want you to create a Shadow Ball, but keep it at your mouth until you have your Iron Tail charged up. From there, you slap the Shadow Ball with your tail to launch an accurate attack," I explain to my Pokémon. I love dogs.

Over the course of a few hours, Budew masters Water Sport and Beautifly learns Energy Ball. To replace Snorunt's creepy Leer attack, I had it learn Headbutt.

"Maybe we should practice, too," Terra agrees, and sends out her Pokémon.

She has a massive change in power. Slugma ends up evolving into Magcargo, Sandslash learns Sandstorm, Dustox learns Toxic, and Emolga learns Air Slash. I'd get into detail about everything, but the training we're going through has amounted to over eight hours, so telling everything would take forever. However, we train the rest of the night.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

The next morning, after we've changed, ate breakfast, and brushed our teeth, Tony and I decide to have a training session before my gym battle.

"Tony, I haven't told you this because I'm afraid of what you'd think, but…I participate in contests," Sean squeaks.

"Uh, that's fine? I'm not judging you; many guys do contests. Plus I've even thought about it before," I lie to make him feel better. It wasn't a _lie _lie, but more of a fibbing to spare feelings. That's okay, isn't it?

"Abra, use Teleport!" Sean says for the twentieth time.

Soon, Abra gets fed up with Teleporting. It decides to evolve so it can _learn something. _What's that something? A very powerful Confusion attack. Not only this, but Sean's weak Wingull evolves as well and learns Protect. Breloom learns Mach Punch while Torkoal learns Body Slam. It looks like Sean's Pokémon have been waiting to train so that they can finally get stronger than what they once were. I admire that in a trainer; Sean must be good to his Pokémon. I look at Grovyle, who's chilling against a tree with its twig in its mouth. What does Grovyle think of me?

As I go to rest up my Pokémon, I come back to find Sean practicing with another coordinator, one on one. His Surskit versus the opponent's Exeggutor.

"Exeggutor, use Leaf Storm!"

The wild-looking Pokémon emits a bundle of leaves and throws them at Surskit.

"Dodge it and use Shadow Ball!"

Surskit narrowly misses the attack and then shoots a shadowy ball of energy at Exeggutor, severely damaging it.

"Now use Psychic!"

Exeggutor tries to lift Surskit up with Psychic, but from Leaf Storm's power, Exeggutor's energy dropped. Surskit then uses the time to glow white and—evolve!

Surskit loses its long four legs; rather, it grows wings and four smaller, stubbier feet. Its wings look like eyes—very intimidating. However, two small black pupils stare back at Sean.

"I can't believe it…Surskit evolved into a…Masquerain!"

Now Masquerain has learned a plethora of other moves; Silver Wind, Air Slash, Hydro Pump, and Energy Ball. Masquerain knocks Exeggutor out with one Silver Wind, making the trainer run away crying.

We decide to call it a day and head for bed as Sean proudly explains how he won each of his three ribbons. Grovyle facepalms and goes to my room as I'm stuck in the hallway listening the stories. I missed having a friend, though. In just a day or two, I'll be in the Petalburg Gym.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew, Snorunt_

Ah, tomorrow is the contest at last! Today, I've decided to relax and enjoy the time while I have it.

"Go, Dewott, Houndoom, Beautifly, Budew, Snorunt! Let's have some fun!" I call, pushing Dewott, and throwing a bunch of Pokéballs, towards an area made for playing with Pokémon. Each of them begin picking at the ground or playing together.

"Ah, so you have more new Pokémon," a voice comes up from behind.

Marsh walks up as I turn back from talking to Terra. I wonder what he wants.

"What're you doing here?" I snap.

"Eep! Someone's hateful today. Why don't you calm down and we can do a practice battle? You'll need it for your next ribbon!" he smiles.

His Team Aqua outfit makes me so angry. Sometimes I wonder why Tony's even on that team.

"How many ribbons do you have?"

"Two, what about you Marshie?" I laugh sarcastically.

"Well, take a look yourself," he brags, showing _all five _of his ribbon spaces taken up. He can enter the Grand Festival now..

"Let's battle. Right here, right now!" I snarl at him, and he shrugs.

"Come on Dewott and Beautifly!" I say, calling for my Pokémon to come to the field.

"Go, Lanturn and Cinccino," Marsh whispers.

Two beautifly Pokémon come from those balls. A blue-and-yellow fish comes out of one, while a white rodent with silky fur comes out of the other.

"Cinccino, Protect! Lanturn, Discharge!"

Lanturn makes every Pokémon, but the protected Cinccino, get hit by an electric shock. Beautifly falls down, One Hit KO'd, and Dewott struggles, but gets up.

"Beautifly, return," I moan. Dewott's all that's left.

"Dewott, use Razor Shell!"

"Cinccino, finish it off with Bullet Seed!"

The graceful Pokémon spits a row of seeds at Dewott, and it trips and falls over unconscious.

"I lost…" I sigh, falling to my knees.

"You may have had a better chance if it weren't for your pathetic Beautifly. It may look pretty, but it's super weak," Marsh spats.

"I don't need your criticism!" I cry. Terra comforts me.

"Well, you need some sort of guidance or you're going to lost the first round of the Grand Festival. _If you make it in,_" he smirks.

"Who knows, it may not be the Pokémon's fault. It's probably the trainer's!"

"What'd you say?!"

"You heard me. Now goodbye!" And with that, he returns his Pokémon and leaves towards Petalburg City.

I recall Beautifly and heal all of my Pokémon at the Pokémon Center. While I do so, I think of what Marsh said. _'It may not be the Pokémon's fault. It's probably the _trainer's!' Who does he think he is!? Soon, though…I feel uncertain and decide to call up the one person who I trust with Beautifly.

"Hello? Is this the Pokémon Daycare? Oh, it's Tony's Mom? Perfect. I was wondering if you could train my Beautifly for me…Yes, I can keep it there for a while. I'll send it over! Thanks!" I smile.

When I hang up the phone and go to the Pokémon Transfer area, tears begin to roll down my face. I get Beautifly's Pokéball and put it in the slot.

"Beautifly, I'm sending you to a woman who can help you more than I ever could. I'll get you in time for the Grand Festival, or sooner. I just want you to get the best you can…" I begin weeping loudly while staring at the ball.

I press the button and it zaps away. Beautifly's left my party…

I run to the beach and tell Terra what I did.

"It's not Beautifly's fault, you know," she defends my Pokémon.

"I know, of course it isn't. I want Beautifly to be more of a focus, and Tony's mom can do that and more. I can't…"

After all, I can take it whenever. Beautifly will be so much stronger and elegant. I decide to head for bed by then, and Terra and I crash at the Oldale Pokémon Center.

. . .

"The Weather Institute?" Archie gasps, listening to the other end of the phone call.

"Yes, yes. I will send a scout of the place as soon as possible. If that place can generate certain weather…I may be able to make it always rain. Then, Team Aqua will awaken the King of the Seas.

. . .

"Tabitha," Tabitha's phone says, "I want you to scope out that Weather Institute. It's said that they're able to control weather over there. Hurry! Before Team Aqua gets the call.

Tabitha agrees and snaps the phone shut. He knows for a fact that his boss has been listening in on Archie's conversations. And Tabitha likes the idea. He's the one who thought of it.

. . .

"Now use Energy Ball again, Beautifly!" Tony's mom continues with the Butterfly Pokémon.

"We have to impress your trainer!"

Beautifly truly appreciates the attention. But, of course, it misses Alex. So it _has _to get stronger—for her.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

In bed, I look inside the 1/2 green orb with awe. All of my Pokémon are asleep, so I look at it up close.

From deep within, I think I just saw a twinkle.


	23. Keeping Balance Part 1

**Part 23**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

"Come on Grovyle, let's go ahead and get this over with together," I tell my trustworthy Pokémon.

"Gro!" it nods in agreement and we walk into the Petalburg City Pokémon Gym.

Apparently, the Gym Leader's specialty is in Normal-type Pokémon. I guess it's not much of a surprise, but Hariyama will come in handy again for this next gym battle.

As we look around the main entrance, a little plaque on the wall tells of the rules. I have to get past three rooms of trainers first—the Attack Room, the Defense Room, and the Speed Room. After each room, I will be able to heal my Pokémon and advance on. I have to take on all of the rooms, and after those three I will be able to challenge the unnamed Gym Leader. Well, here I go.

The first room Grovyle and I enter in is labeled 'Attack Room.' A Karate Master stands beside the door to the next room, the 'Defense Room.'

"So you think you have what it takes to beat the Gym Leader? Well, you better have a way to counter my strong attacks!" He laughs and throws a Pokéball out.

The room is small—green walls and a brown, wooden floor is all that there is. Other than that, there is a field shaped through white tape and paint.

"Go, Monferno! Let's start off with Nasty Plot!"

Out comes this blazing monkey with a mask. It immediately begins to look evil, with thought bubbles being seen around its head.

"Go, Phanpy! Start off with Bulldoze!"

My blue elephant comes out happily, and lands with a hard thud on the ground—making a small tremor deep beneath the crust. Monferno loses its balance and begins to slow down.

"Now use Rollout!"

Phanpy curls up into a ball and begins rolling around the room. Eventually, it strikes hard against Monferno and knocks it straight out. Phanpy stops the rolling by skidding to a complete stop on my side of the field.

"Nice work!"

"Monferno, return!" the karate man grits his teeth.

"Go, Zangoose! Use Close Combat!"

A Cat Ferret Pokémon, resembling a mongoose, comes out of its Pokéball and immediately engages in a close fight, throwing punches at Phanpy repeatedly.

"Phanpy, use Tackle!"

Phanpy slams into the Zangoose, however it gets up and immediately knocks Phanpy out with a powerful Ice Punch attack.

"Phanpy, return! Go, Corphish!"

My Ruffian crawdad makes another appearance. Once it comes out, Corphish happily walks onto the field.

"Corphish, use Crabhammer!"

Corphish's pincer glows white as it slings it back, and then launches it against Zangoose, which knocks it out. Corphish looks mighty powerful!

"Zangoose, return! Gah, come on out—Heracross!"

Heracross, a bluish beetle with a singular horn, attacks Corphish straight up with a Megahorn, knocking it back a considerable distance.

"Corphish, use BubbleBeam!"

Heracross easily pops the bubbles as it uses Close Combat, like Zangoose, to maniacally destroy Corphish. The Ruffian Pokémon faints right before I return it to its Pokéball.

"You did great, Corphish. Swablu, come on out!"

Swablu, my elegant Cotton Bird Pokémon, quietly settles on my head to hide as a hat.

"Swablu, I'm going to need your flying-typing to defeat a Heracross. Okay?" I ask politely.

"Swa!"

Swablu flies off into the air and then dives low to the ground.

"Now's your only chance, Heracross, Stone Edge!"

"Hurry, Swablu! Use Aerial Ace quickly!"

Heracross picks up some stones and tosses them, but Swablu is able to glide past them and smack Heracross with a four-times super effective attack. As Heracross falls over unconscious, Swablu perches on my head once again.

"It's obvious that you have far superior attack. However, you may not have enough defense. Good luck, kid," the Karate Master sighs.

Grovyle and I muscle our way into the Defense Room after getting my Pokémon healed up. From there, a cool trainer comes up with long, blue hair. She smiles and says that she has to battle me. I snap out of my daze and agree.

"Go, Hariyama!"

"Gliscor, come on out!"

My sumo wrestler versus a flying scorpion. It seems that I have the advantage.

"Use Ice Punch!"

Hariyama's icy fist slams into Gliscor super hard, but it takes the attack and hits Hariyama with Acrobatics. That attack uses a Flying Gem at its disposal, so Hariyama falls over unconscious after just one hit.

"Hariyama, return…Phanpy, I choose you!"

My elephant returns to see that Gliscor, the purple bat/scorpion thing, is severely hurt from that Ice Punch.

"Use Ice Shard to finish it off!"

And that is exactly what Phanpy does. It produces two shards of ice and throws them at Gliscor, who flinches at the severity of the pain and faints. Phanpy has, yet again, won me a match.

"Gliscor, return. Milotic, I choose you!"

A beautiful sea serpent slithers onto the field. She's so beautiful—it's hard to look away from her.

"Milotic, use Hydro Pump!"

"Dodge it and use Rollout!"

Milotic pumps a cylindrically-shaped torrent of water from its mouth as Phanpy barely dodges the attack with its rolling. Phanpy slams into Milotic, however the Pokémon is able to knock Phanpy out with an up-close Surf attack. I recall Phanpy and praise it for its work.

"You just hatched, yet you're already helping me so much!" I smile.

"Come on, Grovyle."

The Wood Gecko Pokémon comes onto the field and knocks Milotic out with a powerful STAB Leaf Blade. Then, the trainer sends out a Shuckle to try and finish me off.

"Use Toxic!" she whines.

"Dodge it with Dig, and then pop up and use Leaf Blade!"

Grovyle digs into the ground as it narrowly misses a glob of sludge. It then pops up from the dirt and slices Shuckle with its razor-sharp blades. This tactic went on for many turns.

"Use Power Trick!"

Shuckle's beastly defenses were moved to where it is super fragile. Instead, you can tell that its attacks have gotten a lot stronger.

"Now use Rollout!"

Shuckle slams into Grovyle as it loses health fast. Grovyle gasps for breath.

"Grovyle, finish it off with a Quick Attack + Leaf Blade combo!" I scream.

As Shuckle comes in for another round, Grovyle speeds through and knocks it out with Leaf Blade.

. . .

Grovyle and I come back from healing to come into the Speed Room. Finally, we're getting somewhere. Next up comes a little schoolboy and his bag of Pokéballs.

"Be ready to lose!" he laughs.

"Go, Swablu!"

"Go, Swellow!"

My little fluffy hat bird has to face this majestic, impressive Swallow Pokémon.

"Swablu, use Hyper Voice!"

"Dodge it and use Brave Bird!"

Swablu's intensity was missed as Swellow comes in to hit Swablu hard. Recoil takes a toll on Swellow. Suddenly, it turns red from an item its claws are clutching.

"Your Pokémon is poisoned! Here, let me help you!" I squeal.

"Leave my Pokémon alone! I'm using its Guts ability!"

My Hariyama has Guts, but I'm not pressuring it to use the ability through making it _suffer. _I need to teach this kid a lesson.

As I think that, Swablu falls over unconscious.

"Return, Swablu! Hariyama, Ice Punch away!"

My sumo wrestler Pokémon returns onto the field and uses Ice Punch to hit Swellow hard. However, another STAB Guts-boosted Brave Bird knocks it out easily. Swellow is hit by recoil and status damage.

I'm _already _down to my last Pokémon in these three-on-threes. I grab the ball and let my least experienced Pokémon take the field again.

"Phanpy, come on out!"

Swellow tries to use the same tactic again, but its speed is cut short as it is severely hampered by its lack of health left.

"Finish Swellow off with a priority Ice Shard!"

Phanpy throws hunks of ice at Swellow, hitting its wings, and making it faint faster than I anticipated. The schoolboy returns the Pokémon and calls out for Accelgor, a ninja bug.

"Now, use Bug Buzz!"

"Use Rollout to dodge it, and then attack with that built-in power!"

Phanpy curls up in a ball and turns left of the buzzing sounds of Accelgor. It slams into the Pokémon at the perfect time and knocks Accelgor out with the super effective hit.

"Electrode, take it away!"

Accelgor is recalled and replaced by an upside down Pokéball—no, it's an evolution to Wattson's Voltorb. Uh oh.

"Phanpy, use Tackle!"

Phanpy did not use Tackle. Rather, it used a new attack—a stronger one called Slam. Electrode is sent backwards, and Phanpy knocks it out with a super effective Bulldoze attack. I heal up, and then Grovyle and I move on to the next and final room.

"Gym Leader Norman, the normal-type specialist!" is written on the door.

Normal type specialist? Norman?

_Knock knock! _I knock on the door.

"Come in!" a muffled, but familiarly funny voice is emitted from inside.

I open the door and walk inside with Grovyle. The Gym Leader's room is an actual, well, room. I see a bed, TV, and kitchen all in one room. Pictures of me when I was little are everywhere, and my mom too. And of Grovyle, when he was still a little Treecko…is this guy a stalker?

"I've made some tea before our battle, to calm ourselves. It's important to keep your balance in tense situations," the voice draws nearer.

A figure comes from the kitchen, which is out of my vision, but still in the area. He has jet-black hair, closely resembling my own, a cool red jacket, and blue jeans. The man looks oddly familiar and like me, where have I seen him before. …wait!

"…D-Dad?!" I gulp while staring at my own father.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

Terra and I have already entered the Oldale Contest together. We're in the Coordinator Waiting Room, waiting on the order of people to go in the appeals round.

"The order is in!" Vivian Meridian, the Contest Hall's narrator, tells us.

"The first coordinator in the appeals round is…Alex from Rustboro City!"

I gasp, hopping out of my seat, and run with Dewott down to the base of the circular building's inside, where a field awaits me to show off my stunts.

"Go, Budew!" I shout, throwing my Pokéball towards the audience and my future.

Out comes a little green bud of a Pokémon, a rose in the making. My magnificent Budew comes out spinning on its little feet and pleases the crowd immediately.

"Budew, use Sunny Day, then Water Sport, and encircle it with Solar Beam!"

Budew creates an intense sunlight, which makes the crowd hot, but impressed. From there, it uses the sun to emit several streams of water from its bud, and controls the directions to make it swirl in the air. It uses the sun's power to blast Solar Beam, which also swirls around, connecting it and the water sport into a braid of sorts. Once the sunlight fades, the Solar Beam does too, and the water sprinkles lightly onto the crowd.

Everyone loves it. The audience blasts my ears with applause, and the three judges, Mr. Contesta, Mr. Sukizo, and Nurse Joy, all give me a standing ovation.

"I think your combination of fire, water, and grass made a spectacular core for us to behold!" Mr. Contesta smiles.

"Remarkable!" Mr. Sukizo continues.

"I couldn't have put it better myself!" Nurse Joy laughs, and the crowd does too.

My score ends up being an impressive 29.3. Looks like I'm moving on to the second round.

. . .

I watch the others perform, then go to the bathroom just to miss the last coordinator. As I come back, I join Terra again, along with Dewott and Budew, and we wait for the second round matchups.

"Here are your favorite coordinators that are moving on!" Vivian shouts.

On the screen shows eight little profile cards, all with pictures. However, the pictures are covered up at the moment as Vivian Meridian explains the significance and rules of the next round.

"Here they are!"

I'm the first one—I got the highest score. I look down a few places to see Terra. Behind her trails—what?! Willis. Somehow, Willis made it as well. The last person, in the bottom right-hand corner, lies Sean. I guess he was the one who went on as I went to the bathroom. As the cards shuffle themselves, I see that I am _not_the first one to go in the second round, to my relief.

I'm in the second battle with someone I don't know. Then there are two pairs after me—the last one has Sean in it. The other has two people I don't know. The first two people I didn't talk about, out of the eight that moved on, are Willis and Terra. Looks like this is going to be one heck of a matchup, and I can't wait to watch. Too bad I'm afraid that Terra might lose this one.


	24. Keeping Balance Part 2

**Part 24**

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

I watch from the Coordinator Waiting Room as Willis and Terra, two fierce competitors, face off to win the Oldale Town Ribbon. Too bad I'm going to crush them both! I look at Dewott, and it's shivering from excitement. I am too. I guess Pokémon do feel the same emotions as you do.

"Well, folks! The first second-round battle between Willis and Terra is about to begin!" Vivian Meridian announces. All I can look at is her famous mole.

Willis sends out his Shiftry while Terra uses her signature Sandslash.

"Terra, that's the worst possible Pokémon you could have picked," I facepalm.

The fearsome Shiftry, a Pokémon cloaked in white, brown to the toe, yet with long, flowing green fans, automatically uses Seed Bomb.

Those Seeds begin to explode near Sandslash, a mere shrew in comparison to this type-effective beast.

"Quick, Sandslash! Deflect them with Rapid Spin!"

The Mouse Pokémon quickly begins spinning in a ball, and the time-bomb seeds are sent back on Shiftry, who takes the hit hard while Sandslash lands on its feet elegantly.

"Did you see that, folks? Sandslash managed to deflect a hit—a super effective one at that—and make it hit _back on Shiftry_! If that's not talent, I don't know what is. There's no telling what you can see at the Oldale Contest Hall!"

"Dark Pulse!"

Shiftry begins sending a cylindrical wave of dark energy towards Sandslash, however it uses Dig to dodge the attack at the last second.

"Try to sense it in the ground, Shiftry."

Shiftry closes its eyes and focuses. Suddenly, it hears a rumbling nearby. Sandslash springs up before it can prepare itself and uses Sandstorm, making it impossible to see anything. Using the opportunity, Sandslash jumps back inside the hole. Shiftry can't see at all—and it's taking damage.

"Shiftry, watch out!"

"Sandslash, come on up and use Swift!"

Shiftry can't take anything anymore—its acute vision is blocked by the horrible sand. The sandstorm turns into a dust tornado with a filling of stars from Swift. Soon enough, the whirling cone of sand smashes head-on into Shiftry, rather than just blinding it, and knocking the poor Pokémon right out.

"Even though Terra and her Sandslash were at a type disadvantage, she was still able to overcome her faults and clear herself a path to the semifinals! What else can this contest bring to our audience? You'll just have to stay tuned!" Vivian shouts to the camera, blowing kisses. The judges wave in the background, although she gets in front of them to hog the camera.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

"…and that's why I ran away from home," I explain to my father. I can't believe I found him—Norman! That's right, I remember his name now.

~Flashback~

_It was ten years ago today. Just before our cruise ride, I wanted to play with Dad and Treecko. I can see myself digging in the ground, trying to teach Treecko to Dig. I never could._

"_Daddy, come plaaay with me!" little Tony whined._

"_Yes sir, Army General Tony, sir!" Dad had pretended that I was some war hero, and I liked it._

"_Well, Cadet! The two of us have a mission—my little Treecko here needs to learn Dig!"_

_The two of us laughed. I loved my dad so much. Looking back now, I still love him as much as then. This stepfather of mine—he doesn't compare to even the sock my dad wore. While I remember this moment, tears swell up in my eyes._

"_Impossible?! That's a suicide mission!" Norman continued._

"_But we can do it, if it costs us our lives!"_

_I never got to teach Treecko Dig. In fact, I didn't think Dad was able to. But one day later…_

"_I've got a surprise for you, sport!"_

"_What is it, Daddy?! Did you get me a gun?"_

"_No, not yet. Your mother still hasn't given me permission," he laughed. _

"_Aww, I wanted to shoot someone."_

"_I'm sure you do, son. I'm sure you do…Anyways! You will never know your surprise until the time is right! Goodbye, General!" he left walking properly—one step one foot, one step the other. Each time the knee went up to his stomach. I always laugh at that._

"_You are such a goofball," my mom would say._

"_You're one to talk. You burnt our muffins to the color of an Umbreon!"_

"_They were good muffins, too."_

. . .

Suddenly, reality takes control of me again.

"Dad…once I left my mom, I joined Team Aqua in desperation."

"What? Son, that team is _evil! _You're not the evil type!" he frowns.

"I know. I've been appointed an admin, but I just don't know…"

"Well I don't like it, son. You're too good for that scheming group of perverts," he looks down.

"Don't worry, Dad. I plan on doing something to stop them. They're going too far," I explain.

"I have an idea. Let's battle. If I win, we'll do it my way and you'll call it quits immediately. If you win, you can have your plan into action and I'll take part," he smiles.

"Sounds like a deal," I grin, and we both walk into the field area of the gym.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

"Snorunt, dodge it and use Icy Wind!"

My Snorunt dodges the Dratini's Dragon Rage and freezes it with its cool breeze.

"Dratini, fire off an Aqua Tail!" the little girl tells her Pokémon.

Suddenly Dratini's turns aqua blue and it inches towards Snorunt.

"Quick, fire off a Shadow Ball!" I panic.

My Snow Hat Pokémon launches an orb of shadowy energy at the foe, however it smacks the ball hard with Aqua Tail, and it hits Snorunt head-on.

Now Dratini and Snorunt are too close for an Icy Wind attack.

"Use Spikes to distance yourself!"

Snorunt emits two or three dozen spikes and puts them on the ground. Dratini is forced back so it doesn't get damaged.

"Now finish it off with an Icy Wind!"

Snorunt freezes the Spikes on the ground, and the wind picks them up and hurls them at Dratini. The Dragon Pokémon falls over, its blue and white body pales, and its eyes begin swirling. Snorunt comes over and hugs me as we move on to the semifinals.

. . .

I sit with Terra, Snorunt, and Dewott as we watch Sean face a trainer. So far, his Kadabra has destroyed this Seviper—however its last Poison Tail has poisoned him. Kadabra has very little HP left, but Seviper cannot stand another hit.

"Kadabra, finish it off with Confusion!"

And his Pokémon does just that.

. . .

Soon enough, we watch another trainer's Zangoose get defeated by a Machoke's DynamicPunch. This contest isn't the same as the others—it seems even more…challenging.

I talk with Terra about the battles while the cards on the screen are shuffling. We think that I will face Sean and she'll face the other trainer. However, it turns out the complete opposite.

"The first battle will be between Terra and Sean, while the second will take place with Alex and Ralph!"

It's just too bad that I may have to face Terra in the finals. Or worse, I might have to deal with Sean again.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

The gym has a rocky terrain, perfect for strategic battles.

"This battle will be a five-on-five between Norman, the Petalburg City Gym Leader, and Anthony, his, uh, son. Only the trainer may have substitutions. Let the battle begin!" the referee shouts from afar.

"Good luck, son," he smiles.

"Go, Swablu!" I shout.

"Go, Munchlax," Norman says.

My little fluffy hat perches on my head while my father's Pokémon looks around for food.

"You make the first move, challenger," he sternly tells me.

"Okay then, Swablu! Use Mist!"

I start off with Mist so that Swablu can have an advantage in sight—that's where we get the most wins.

"Munchlax, use Metronome!"

Munchlax, through the mist, can be seen wagging its fingers back and forth as they begin to glow. Suddenly, it emits a wave of electricity that hits Swablu hard—even without the accuracy problem.

"Shock Wave…never misses."

Swablu dives into to use Aerial Ace as it hits Munchlax hard.

"Munchlax, use Return!"

The Big Eater Pokémon jumps up and slams Swablu down onto the ground.

"Swablu, quick! Hyper Voice!"

Swablu screeches, and the sound waves are strong enough to repel Munchlax from Body Slamming Swablu into oblivion.

"Now finish it off with an Aerial Ace!"

"Finish it off with a Return!"

The misty air begins to fade as I watch my never-miss move strike against Munchlax, just before it was about to slam Swablu away. Munchlax falls to the ground while Swablu weakly perches on its belly.

"Munchlax, return…" Norman sighs, looking at the Pokéball, "You gave it your all. Now, Girafarig, go!"

This weird giraffe comes out of its Pokéball. It's yellow on one side, but on the other it is brown and has this little brown head-tail. The face on that thing creeps me out.

"Swablu, Hyper Voice!"

"Charge right through with Zen Headbutt!"

Girafarig's head begins to glow purple as it rams its way through my attack. It hardly does any damage, and by the time Girafarig makes it, it is able to knock Swablu straight out with a powerful Psychic-type attack.

"Swablu, return!" I smile at my Pokéball.

"You did great. Now, Hariyama, let's try this!"

My sumo wrestler comes out with a _thump! _

"Use Zen Headbutt again!"

"Just wait," I comment.

Girafarig comes charging closer while Hariyama waits patiently.

"Now! Use Arm Thrust!"

Hariyama smacks Girafarig's head, causing its attack to fade. Then, it slaps its face, which makes it turn around in shock. Then Hariyama finishes it off with a powerful Secret Power, and Girafarig falls down unconscious.

"Girafarig, return. Ugh, he's tough. But we are, too. Stoutland, it's your turn!"

When this Pokémon comes out of Dad's Pokéball, I see the most amazing Mustache-Dog in the whole entire world.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

"Sandslash, Emolga, I choose you!" Terra yells from the screen in the CWR. I watch with Dewott, shaking with anticipation.

"Masquerain, Breloom, it's your turn!"

Masquerain's creepy demeanor causes Sandslash and Emolga to become intimidated, and they shy away from hitting too hard.

"Breloom, use Spore on Emolga!"

Breloom, a bipedal mushroom, spreads this powder onto Emolga, and it instantly falls asleep.

"Breloom, use Bullet Seed on Sandslash!"

Breloom spits a stream of bullets on the Mouse Pokémon. However, it narrowly dodges by Digging into a hole in the ground. It pops back up and rejoins the sleeping Emolga.

"Use Swift!" Terra says to her Sandslash, who hits both Pokémon with ease.

"Hydro Pump," Sean smirks while he watches Sandslash be OHKO'd by Masquerain's sheer power.

"Emolga, wake up! I _need you_!"

Suddenly Emolga comes to its senses.

"Use Air Slash on Breloom!"

Before Sean can act, Emolga uses its wing to slice the air, and the ripple creates a wind that slashes into Breloom and knocks it out as well. Now it's just Masquerain versus Emolga. Terra has the advantage.

"Now use Hydro Pump again!"

"You use Electro Ball, Emolga!"

The two attacks, one a blast of water, the other a ball of electricity, were shared between the two Pokémon, and they both suffer greatly.

"Emolga, finish it off with Acrobatics!"

"Nope! Masquerain, you finish _Emolga _off with priority Quick Attack!"

The little blue Pokémon with creepy wings (yet beady eyes) quickly slams into Emolga, knocks it out, and costs Terra the competition.

"No!" she screams as she returns her Emolga.

"Well, folks! It appears that Sean has made it into the finals. The last round of the semifinals, between Alex and Ralph, is about to begin!" Vivian Meridian continues.

The only problem is, I'm not sure I can beat Sean twice in a row. This guy is good…

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

"Stoutland, use Return!"

The powerful pooch hits Hariyama too hard that time—my powerful fighting force falls hard with a plunder.

"Hariyama, return! You did a great job. You deserve a rest. As for you, Stoutland, get ready to meet my little friend. Corphish, come on out!"

Oh, this Stoutland is in for it. My Ruffian Pokémon figures that Hariyama fainted—it knows the power of this Pokémon. However, that makes Corphish even more determined to defeat it.

"Wild Charge!"

Stoutland builds electricity in its fur and charges towards Corphish.

"Protect! Then use Crabhammer!"

Corphish brings its pincers together to form a green barrier that Stoutland can't penetrate. Then, once the Big-Hearted Pokémon is up close enough, Corphish's claw glows bluish-white and slams hard into Stoutland's fur, soaking it and ultimately slowing it down severely. Corphish then uses ViceGrip on Stoutland's neck (gently) and slams it on the ground. My braggart of a Pokémon then climbs on top of Stoutland and poses.

"Nice one, Corphish!" I praise it. However, my Pokémon already looks tired.

"Go, my second ultimate weapon! Porygon-Z," Norman smirks. He means business now.

This…red and blue…cyber duck comes out from a Great Ball, which matches its colors, and I'm not sure if I should laugh or be afraid. The Pokémon looks terrifyingly hilarious. I'm not sure what to do!

"Ready to give up and call it quits?" he tempts me.

"If you would just let me do things my way!"

It's like I'm used to having a real father. It's…comforting to disagree with him, because no matter what I'll always love him.

"Porygon-Z, use Tri Attack!"

"Corphish, Protect!"

Corphish brings up its barrier as the rubber ducky throws a blue, red, and yellow triangle at it. Then Corphish uses Bubble Beam to hit Porygon-Z. Although it didn't seem the stop it at all.

"Tri Attack!"

"Protect!" I desperately try again.

The same strategy works, however Corphish can't hold Protect up for much longer. I have to think. I have Corphish, Phanpy, and Grovyle left…what could work on this?

"Corphish, go all in with a Crabhammer!"

Corphish begins slowly inching its way to Porygon-Z, gets its bluish-white pincer ready, and—

"Hyper Beam."

_B-b-b-boooosh!_ The crazy-strong attack blasts Corphish straight off the field and against the wall. It had fainted from the attack, but it's no surprise. Porygon-Z is _strong._

I look over to see that the attack worked—Porygon-Z is really weak now. And with the recharge from Hyper Beam, I may be able to…

"Phanpy, I choose you!"

"Porygon-Z, just rest. This doesn't seem the be a threat," Norman reassures his Pokémon.

"Not a threat? Please, this thing took out a Darmanitan single-handedly the day it was hatched," I brag, and tell Phanpy to use Ice Shard.

The attack hits Porygon-Z hard, but it just isn't strong enough for the KO.

"Sorry, you lose!" he laughs.

"Nope, priority."

Phanpy launches one more Ice Shard as Porygon-Z charges its Hyper Beam. Just before the attack was sent out, the pieces of ice pierce the rubber ducky just enough to knock it off balance and cause it to fall over limp.

"Porygon-Z…return," Norman wheezes, wide-eyed.

"Did my insanely strong Pokémon just lose to a little blue elephant?"

"Yes, yes it did!"

"Not to worry," Norman still smiles, "because I have one last trick up my sleeves. Slaking, why don't we show them how it's done?"

This giant. Huge. Brown. Sloth. Is towering high above my little blue elephant.

"Kick it aside."

Phanpy gets knocked out from a Low Kick.

"Ph-Ph-Phanpy, return!"

I look at Grovyle, whose mouth is so wide that the twig slips from its mouth.

"Gro?!" it cries in shock.

"Well someone has to go fight it!"

Grovyle pushes me onto the field.

"Now how is that supposed to work?"

Norman laughs while my Pokémon and I quarrel.

"At least put up a fight. We can battle him again, like we did in Mauville. Just _try,_" I plead, and Grovyle gives in.

"So it's Grovyle versus Slaking? Alright, let the battle begin!" the referee decides.

"Slaking, start off with Giga Impact!"

Oh, no. That's Porygon-Z's equivalent to Hyper Beam.

"Dodge it, Grovyle! With Quick Attack!"

Using its blinding speed, Grovyle narrowly dodges the slamming Slaking was going to do to it.

"Now hit it with Leaf Blade!"

Grovyle's elbow-blades become two long, sharp leaves and they slice against Slaking's back. Meanwhile, it relaxes.

"What?" I ask, bewildered.

"Oh, Truant only lets me attack every other turn," my dad admits.

_Hmm…_

"Slaking, use Giga Impact!"

He knows that move will one-shot Grovyle, too. Ugh.

"Dodge it with Dig!"

Grovyle hops into the ground as Slaking crumbles the small boulder it was standing on.

"Gah, now I can't use Earthquake!" Norman slaps his forehead.

"Grovyle, resurface using a combination of Leaf Blade and Quick Attack!"

Grovyle does the same attack, but with more speed and power. In fact, the power doubles—a Critical Hit?! Slaking gets weaker and weaker.

"Use Secret Power, then!"

Slaking glows pink and knocks Grovyle on its side. Both Pokémon are equally hurt now. Grovyle sweats immensely from the hit, and breathes heavily from all the energy it has exerted.

Slaking is loafing around for now. Grovyle is able to regain strength.

"Use Dig for now," I decide as it hops to it.

"Earthquake!"

Grovyle uses Quick Attack to jump right out of the hole, right in front of Slaking—face to face—and watches the ground tremble beneath its feet. While it's still in the air, Grovyle smashes Slaking's face by using it as a kick-start for Acrobatics, jump from its face to the ground on a handstand, and then flip back on its feet.

"Your Grovyle is light on its feet, like you are," Norman compliments my Pokémon.

"And it has good instincts," I continue on with the brown-nosing.

Grovyle can be seen smiling behind the twig in its mouth, which it nervously chews the stem of.

"That's it. Let's finish this off with one last attack—give it all you got, Giga Impact!"

This attack is inescapable. We're going to have to hope that Grovyle can take the hit.

"Grovyle, use Leaf Blade!"

Slaking comes hammering the ground as it thrusts its whole weight at Grovyle, and Grovyle jumps from the ground and into the air. Slaking then puts all the energy of Giga Impact into its hand and slaps Grovyle with it as my Pokémon gets just enough time to hit the Lazy Pokémon with an Overgrow Leaf Blade.

Of course, the infamous field of dust appears to add onto the drama. As it starts to clear, both Pokémon are on their backs, but one of them is struggling to get up. Which one is it?!


	25. Keeping Balance Part 3

**Part 25**

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

"Houndoom, one last Shadow Ball should beat the Machoke!" I get all jumpy from excitement.

Snorunt had gone down from a DynamicPunch, but Houndoom had defeated a Gothitelle with a powerful Dark Pulse. Now all that's left is Machoke.

Houndoom is able to nail Machoke with one last hit before being taken out by a DynamicPunch. Machoke falls over unconscious as Houndoom breathes deeply in relief. Looks like I'm facing Sean in the finals again!

. . .

In the CWR, Terra comforts me and gives me a sandwich to keep my energy up.

"Now which Pokémon are you going to use?"

"I guess I'll use Dewott and Houndoom, they were my first Pokémon after all. Houndoom's been on a roll, today, too!" I eagerly decide.

Dewott jumps happily. Houndoom seems excited, but tired.

"Maybe we ought to heal them first."

"Yeah, good idea Terra," I admit.

. . .

With Dewott and Houndoom fed and healed up, they're ready to battle in the finals. Budew and Snorunt rest with Terra, while she feeds them and trains with them and her Emolga.

"_They're in good hands_," I think to myself.

. . .

I enter the field, where the crowd decides that I am the winner in popularity. I call out my Dewott and my Houndoom. They get on stage together and nod at one another.

"Here, at the blue corner, we have Alex!" Vivian tells the audience, who applaud loudly.

"At the red corner, we have Sean!"

The audience claps almost as much, though. He sends out his Kadabra and Torkoal.

"No hard feelings when you lose, okay?" Sean asks me, and I just don't answer.

"Houndoom, let's start things off with a Dark Pulse on Kadabra!"

With the type matchup, this should be easy. However, while watching the dark energy get closer to Kadabra, I notice that it begins spinning its spoon like a baton—and that blocks the whole attack. It did nothing at all. What move was that? Is that even a _real _move anyways?

"Torkoal, use Eruption!"

The smoky hole from Torkoal's back explodes into fits of fire and magma. It hits Dewott for decent damage, but it does resist the attack so it didn't do too much. However, Houndoom ignites really strongly—Flash Fire has taken over its mind. Here lately, with all of the extra power and attention, Houndoom has been losing its mind with Flash Fire. It kind of…gets overwhelmed by the power.

"Houndoom, calm down. It's okay. Dewott, use Razor Shell on Torkoal!"

Dewott gets its Scalchop and throws it down on Torkoal, who then deflects it with Rapid Spin. The shell gets whipped back to Dewott, but the attack does nothing. I look at how he's spinning. Torkoal's direction is slightly to the left—that's where Kadabra is. Maybe if I could…

"Dewott, use Icy Wind on Torkoal!"

A cool breeze of snow and ice blows through Sean's side of the area. The crowd is going wild. Icy Wind hits both opponents in a battle, so it hits Kadabra super hard. It also hits Torkoal, but is deflected back off. When it bounces off of Torkoal's shell, the angle that I had Dewott attack with made the wind hit Kadabra twice! Kadabra's speed gets cut in half from this because its legs get frozen.

"Whoa, folks! Alex just used Torkoal's Rapid Spin to hit Kadabra twice with Icy Wind! Once from the usual attack, and another time by it bouncing off of Torkoal! This has really turned the match over for her.

I just have to keep Dewott in battle until Houndoom cools. I look over to see it, expecting my little blazing dog back, however its eyes are fiery still—maybe even more than before.

"Houndoom, use and aim Shadow Ball, and then hit it with Iron Tail!" I suggest.

Houndoom decides to do what I say. It creates a HUGE ball of purple energy, and then launches it with a super-powered Iron Tail. The attack is going so fast, it looks like a fast ball in baseball or something. As the Shadow Ball comes closer to Kadabra, Sean thinks of a plan.

"Use Energy Ball on Dewott—quick!"

Kadabra, while watching the Shadow Ball come flying towards it, is able to create and toss a green blob of energy at Dewott, and that attack is definitely going to knock it out.

"Dewott, use Razor Shell on Torkoal before you go out!"

Let me explain the scene here. Houndoom's Shadow Ball hits Kadabra right after it releases Energy Ball. So Kadabra is out of the picture. Then, Dewott slings its Scalchop at Torkoal as the Energy Ball knocks it out as well. Torkoal is hit hard by the attack, and the scalchop returns to Dewott in time before it is out of the game.

I get Dewott off the field as Sean returns Kadabra.

"So it looks like I've won, if your Pokémon has gone out of your control!" Sean laughs snidely.

"Not quite," I raise my eyebrow.

"Torkoal, finish off Houndoom with a super-strong Body Slam!"

Torkoal is able to use its spin on the ground to project itself in the air. It then stops spinning and comes crashing, with all of its weight, to Houndoom's certain doom.

Houndoom does what it wants. I'm not able to say anything. First, Houndoom uses Iron Tail to push Torkoal back up in the air, which gives it just enough time to defeat it.

"Use Dark Pulse!" I command.

It doesn't. Instead, it uses a fire move. I've…never seen this move before. I don't know how to explain it, but I'll try.

Houndoom unleashes this attack that looks like…well, the shape of a star. Yes! It looks like a star on fire. Houndoom uses this attack—the PokéNav calls it Fire Blast—to create some sort of shield around it. The five points are suddenly outlined in dark. Houndoom _does _use Dark Pulse, and the outlining creates a solid form to hit the attack with. Basically, Houndoom is using a super-STAB Fire Blast / Dark Pulse combo. It then hits the flaming evil star with Iron Tail to make it spin. Torkoal comes crashing back down just to be KO'd in a matter of seconds. Houndoom then uses Shadow Ball in the middle of the star, and the whole attack disappears. Then it collapses on the ground as I run to it. The Flash Fire boost is gone.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

Slaking is completely knocked out. I see that once it is revealed that Grovyle had lived the attack. Grovyle gets up, shaky and covered with dirt from head to toe, but is still okay.

"That's impossible?!" Norman shouts unbearably.

The referee goes to get the recording of it from the camera. I sit with Grovyle as he brings the camera for us to view.

All we can see is Grovyle hit Slaking, then Slaking hit it…and dust. I rewind it and look again. Grovyle hits Slaking, and then Slaking hits it…but wait.

"One more time, please," I beg, and the referee agrees. I don't know why I begged. I just want proof of something.

Grovyle hits Slaking, and then its Leaf Blade moves to its face for protections. Slaking hand hits the blade and suffers damage—the Giga Impact was significantly weaker.

"I can't believe it. Your Grovyle's like a thorny rosebush or something," Norman hastily pouts.

"Dad, aren't you happy your son beat you?"

"Well…yes and no. I'm proud that you're my son, the one who defeated and got five badges so far, but I'm your father and I should be showing _you _up. Instead, you pulverized me…"

"Oh please, Grovyle and I got lucky!"

"_Did you_ get lucky? Think about it. I know I will—forever!"

After that madness, Dad embraces me and places something in my hand.

"And to think that you used your surprise against me," he laughs, and I do too.

I look at the thing he gave me—it's the Balance Badge.

"Everything you need to succeed," he begins, "has to have a balance. Too much offense, and you lose. Too much defense, and you're setup bait. But a balance can make you unstoppable. And today, son, you had more balance than I ever could have. Congratulations, you are now a holder of five out of the eight Pokémon League badges."

"Oh, and Dad?"

"Huh?"

"Mom works at the Daycare outside of Mauville. She lives in Littleroot Town with…him," I mutter.

"Okay, I'll visit her sometime," he insists.

"Sometime soon?"

"Sometime tomorrow, if I can!" he grins. He is such a happy guy.

Grovyle and I begin to exit the Pokémon Gym.

"Bye, Dad! I'm so glad I could find you again. Don't worry, I'm getting you and Mom back together…even though you were never separated. Dad…I love you!" I yell from the back.

"Oh, son!" he says, running to me.

"I'm so, so very proud of you. I don't care if you're from Team Aqua. At heart, you'll always be my Army General!" Tears are swelling up in his eyes. I gulp mine down, but they keep coming back.

"I'll never forget you. Never have, never will. I'll stop Team Aqua and Team Magma if it's the last thing I do! I'll never forgive them for endangering us like that, on the cruise ship!"

"Goodbye son. I'll see you soon."

With that, Grovyle and I decide to meet the others back in Oldale Town.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

Houndoom gets up quickly and I officially win the ribbon. It seems fine. That attack…it was almost scary, yet almost amazing.

"Alex of Rustboro City has officially earned her third ribbon! We now proudly present you with the Oldale Ribbon!" Vivian congratulates me, and I add the blue ribbon to my other ones. I see Tony get in the background, waving with his Grovyle. The both of them are dirty. What've they been doing?

I get together with Terra, Sean, and Tony, and we decide to all head to bed at the Oldale Pokémon Center.

"I just wish there were more snacks," Sean mutters.

"Snacks?" I ask.

"Yeah, there were snacks in the coordinator room. By the door?"

…I'm gonna kill him.

. . .

**Norman**

Oh, how I wish I could have told him! We were set up, him, his mother, and I. Team Magma fired the torpedo at the cruise liner that Team Aqua was smuggling Pokémon on. We were supposed to die. I was supposed to die. They wanted this one man to be the Petalburg Gym Leader. They wanted Anthony gone—they must not know his true identity.

Who was this man they wanted as Gym Leader? Well, it…it's Archie's own brother.

It's Tony's stepdad.

. . .

"Steven, get back to work _NOW!" _a Magma Grunt slams Steven Stone back to his computer.

"But I can't just work for the rest of my life! My daughter's gone and left, and because of your stupid control over me, I can't be in her life anymore! I've _neglected her!_"

"Too bad for her, you're busy working on finding our Groudon. Now stick your nose back in your computer before I rip it off and do it for you!" the grunt screams.

"This," he says, "is one pint of Seviper blood. This will be enough to kill you in about…I'd say eight seconds. Wanna see if it works? Or would you like to cooperate?"

"I'll take door B, please. And no, I don't want to buy a vowel," Steven sarcastically mutters.

"Don't mess around, rock guy. Remember who has control over your daughter. Maxie's got her wrapped around his finger. He made her, and he can break her. Oh, he certainly can break her!"

Steven doesn't know how to put up with this—he can't have them kill his only baby girl. Why him? He gave up being a champion for a reason. He wanted to settle down for his daughter! Will the world ever stop being so cruel?


	26. Lovely Weather

**Part 26**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Swablu, Phanpy_

. . .

Alex and I run through the jungle together. It's pitch-black outside, although it is past midnight. The trees go far above the clouds, and you can't even see the leaves. It's like there are wooden beams falling from the sky, boxing us in.

"We have to hurry!" Alex screams.

"There they are!" an Aqua Grunt screams to the rest.

"We're never gonna make it!" I moan.

"Keep going!"

From behind me, I can hear Mightyena chasing us. The snarling gets closer and closer. I can almost feel the hot breath on the back of my legs. The teeth sinking into my flesh. I run faster and faster, and Alex tries to catch up with me.

"Hurry, Alex!"

She falls over. Trips over a branch. I backtrack, picking her up. From all sides, Mightyena surround us hungrily.

"Give up," the grunt smirks.

"I'm still your superior," I attempt, but he just laughs.

"Since you especially betrayed us, you're getting the worst of it. You can watch Alex…make a nice snack for my Mightyena!"

Speechless, I watch the Mightyena back away from me and towards Alex. They get inches away from her feet. She scoots against a tree, but they're surrounding her.

One jumps in the air and gets ready to pounce..

. . .

"NOOO!" I scream, waking up from my dream.

My covers are all over the room, Grovyle is sleeping in the bathroom. I guess I've just had a bad night. I can't go to sleep, so I decide to get ready for the day.

. . .

It's only 4am, so I get Grovyle up and we sneak down the hall, pass Sean's room with ease, and tiptoe out of the Pokémon Center and to the Petalburg Gym.

I peer in the building and hear some punching noises. Grovyle and I walk in and go to the back of the gym, where my dad usually is.

"Slaking, you have to try harder. Brick Break is going to help us against those steel-types! Remember that Ferrothorn that took our attacks well? We need to beat that if you want to win in your next battle," Norman scolds his Pokémon.

"Slaaack!"

Slaking smacks its fists against a punching bag, but it just isn't working. Quietly, I send Hariyama out from around the corner. I whisper to it the situation, and my Pokémon nods.

"Hey, Dad," I say quietly (it's weird…saying that) my Hariyama knows Brick Break. Need some help?"

Norman looks down at the floor for a second, probably feeling helpless and embarrassed for needing the help of his own child. However, he soon smiles and looks back up at me.

"I'd be honored," he begins, "to have your help."

After about two hours, Hariyama is able to show Slaking how to do one singular Brick Break. Outside of that, however, it has kept failing.

"It'll take some time…" Norman sighs.

"How long?"

"Well, Slaking are lazy so they don't want to learn that much. Even though mine's eager…it's still hard. Your Hariyama has been the closest to teaching it, though."

Even though we've spent so long with the Pokémon, it struggles with the move.

"I've also been wanting to teach it Ice Punch, but Brycen from Unova won't answer me," Dad wilts to the ground.

Hariyama knows both Ice Punch _and _Brick Break, so maybe…

"How would you like Hariyama to stay here with you? It knows Brick Break and Ice Punch, and you also said that Hariyama's the best teacher you've got…so?" I suggest.

"You'd do that? Don't worry, Kiddo, I'll train your Hariyama some moves as well. Gym Leaders aren't completely restricted to one certain type, so I may use Hariyama on my team to counter other Pokémon! You can take him back anytime you want, all you have to do is call me from the Pokémon Center and someone will pick up," he assures me.

I look at Hariyama, and it happily shakes hands with Slaking. I guess they'll work together for now.

In a quiet voice, I'm able to muster, "I'm really not sure what I should do about Team Aqua…"

"Just be warned," Norman whispers, looking around to make sure we're alone, "that you know how dangerous and reckless Archie is. He and Maxie will go mad from the power; it happens in all the legends!"

"How do I stop them once they lose it?"

"That's for you to find out," he tells me.

Eventually I head out with Grovyle as a trainer comes in to battle Dad. I hear him shout something back in the gym about sweeping a whole team with Hariyama and grin as we walk out.

I sit on a bench with Grovyle and get out the book I won at the Trick House, about Groudon and Kyogre. I think now is the perfect time for reading.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

Terra, Dewott, and I finally reach Petalburg City after a long walk from Oldale Town. Along the way, Budew and Snorunt beat two schoolgirls wanting to battle.

"Why are we even here?"Terra bursts.

"You're boring. Can't we make a detour?"

Terra and I cross paths with a couple of strangers and finally make it to the Pokémon Center. As I heal my Pokémon, I look over to the person beside me.

"Hello again," Tony quietly says.

"Hi."

We both heal our Pokémon and head out the door. Someone comes down the steps loudly. Dressed in blue pajamas and a pillow in his arms, Sean rubs his eyes and hisses at the lighting above.

"Tony…what are you—" he freezes once he spots Terra and Alex, and then runs up the stairs to get ready to leave.

"Do you guys want to head with us to Fortree City?" I ask.

"Sure, Sean and I are heading there anyways," Tony agrees.

. . .

The four of us (six, including Grovyle and Dewott) walk back through Oldale Town and head north. From there, we hop on a water-type Pokémon and swim across the shore. Soon enough, we make it past the next route and back into Mauville City. This is summed up in a nutshell. To make a long story short, Tony and I talked the whole way there.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy_

"Guys, wait here. I've…got something to do," I tell the group as I head west of Mauville City.

After jogging with Grovyle, I finally see the Daycare amongst the wooded area. Grovyle and I look at each other and enter the main door of the ranch.

"Hello?" I call.

"Hi, and we—well hello, Anthony! Back so soon?" Mom comes in with the usual smile.

"I've got news," I tell her.

"First thing, tell Alex that her Beautifly is doing excellent," she insists, and I told her that I'll let Alex know.

"Mom…I found Dad," I admit to her.

"What?! Where?"

Once I told her that he's the Gym Leader at Petalburg City, she immediately said she had to go back her bags to go to him. The reason neither of us knew is because we don't have a television—well, we do, but my stepdad owns it.

Grovyle and I step out of the Daycare after she says she loves me and all that. We run back through the woods and meet the group again. From Mauville City, it's time to head east. Too bad there's another problem—we can't cross the water. Rather, we have to split up. There's a Team Aqua base in the area, and I have to go to it.

"I'm sorry," I tell Alex.

"It's…okay. Terra and I have to report to the Team Magma base nearby, anyways."

The two of us smile as we take out friend and partner Pokémon with us. The Team Aqua base is on the northern shore of the Mauville coastline, while the Team Magma base is the opposite.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy_

_Team Aqua Base_

"You have to take over the Weather Institute for your next mission, Anthony. That is the place where we can finally control the weather!" Archie continues his long speech as we stroll down the main hallway of the Aqua Base.

"I thought weather was uncontrollable?"

"It is—was—until we finally found out how to _alter_ to suit our needs. Ah! Room 3113, the Admin Suite. Here is your room," Archie opens a random door, stroking his facial hair, and ushers me into it. Grovyle sneaks in from behind. From there, he shuts the door so I can take in the view.

View is an understatement—I'm in an undersea room. The whole bedroom has an "Under the Sea" theme going for it. With aqua-blue walls, an aquatic bed, and seashells scattered, this luxury is fit only for Neptune! I hop on the bed and lie down. Grovyle opens up a door nearby that exposes a whole room dedicated to letting Pokémon stay and sleep. There are mats everywhere, some fire retardant and others waterproof. I send out Corphish, Swablu, and Phanpy to go and enjoy the mats.

I open up the PokéNav to find something to do when a little phone-shaped icon pops up—I'm getting a video call. I look at the caller ID and smile.

. . .

**Sean**

Sean is stuck in a broom closet. Once he and Tony made it to the base, it was already too full to have another grunt take up room. Therefore, Sean's stuck living with the janitorial supplies.

"Let's go see what Anthony's up to," he decides, and sneaks out of his room.

Tiptoeing down the halls, Sean looks at each door to decide which one is Tony's. There's a plain gray one. Gray. Gray. Aqua blue. Gray. Gr—aqua blue?! Sean cracks the door open and peers in.

"Yeah, I enjoyed our talk earlier, too," Sean can hear Tony say to his PokéNav. The teen's lying on his bed while talking to his device—probably what most normal teens do anyways.

After Sean decides that he's heard enough, he gently shuts the door back. _Click!_

He listens for a second to be horrified from the other end of the door.

"I think I heard my door click shut. I'm gonna check it out," Tony whispers.

Sean runs back to his broom closet and laughs along the way.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt\_

_Team Magma Base_

"I'm stuck in my bedroom alone," I sigh, frowning at my PokéNav.

"Yeah, me too. I have to take over the Weather Institute in a few days," Tony moans from the other end of the video chat.

"Same here. I'm losing faith in Team Magma, I mean it's just not worth the trouble and pain that people go through just for Maxie to get what he wants."

"Archie's being the same way. It's as if the two are blind by their own ambition.."

"But what can we do about it?" I ask.

There's a long silence, with both of us staring blankly at the screen.

"No reason to worry without a good night's rest. Good night, Alex," Tony yawns.

"Good night. Don't let Sean stalk you again!"

"Wouldn't dream of it. He's dead!"

And then I get under the fiery red covers of my bed and fall asleep. Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, and Snorunt are all sleeping in a separate room, too. The volcano theme helps dim the room and makes sleeping easier. Then the rest is darkness.

. . .

After a good night's rest, I wake my Pokémon up, get ready for the day, and decide to go exploring. Dewott helps me swim to the other side, near Fortree City, but still far away. I just want to experience the scenic route.

Dewott decides to practice contest moves. It uses Aqua Jet, on the ground, creating this shield that envelops it. The shield acts as a barrier, almost like a semicircle surrounding Dewott—but made of water.

Dewott then uses Icy Wind on the attack, creating a mess. The icicles peek out from the ground, much like a tree's bare limbs are exposed in the winter—how they are shown to be gnarled and in abundance. Almost like a hand reaching out from Dewott; a very deep meaning can be taken from this, but none tops that of contest appeal.

"Very nice!"

"Bun…" a cry can be heard from the tall grass.

"What was that, Dewott?'

"Wott?"

"That's what I'm thinking…"

We look through the grass to find a little bunny rabbit wounded from a battle of some sort.

"Buneary…" it moans.

It looks to be…poisoned. There's still a stinger from a Pokémon's Poison Sting attack in Buneary's fur. I pick it out and have Dewott fetch a Pecha Berry from my bag. I give Buneary the light-colored berry and it immediately gets healed. Soon enough, Buneary hops up and shows me its true colors.

Buneary is a brownish bunny with cottony fur and a jumpy, positive attitude. From the happiness it's shrieking, I can tell that it is thanking me. Buneary then hops back into the grass, out of sight.

"That's weird," I notice from the grass that it's wet; it wasn't before. Oh well.

"Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, come on out!"

My group of Pokémon happily begin training. Houndoom practices Fire Blast and Snorunt uses Icy Wind on it.

I'm going to work with Budew, though.

"Budew, use Sludge Bomb!"

My little green bud opens up to use the move, but only a small brown sludge piece plops onto the ground.

"Don't worry, we'll get the hang of it," I tell Budew.

_Ping! _A small noise can be heard on the leaves of a nearby tree. Houndoom and Snorunt run towards me howling something I can't understand. Dewott runs closer, too, but Budew begins playing with flowers.

_Ping! …Ping…Ping! Ping! Ping!_ It begins to sprinkle.

"Come on guys, a little water never stops us!" I yell as the others agree.

Two minutes later, a downpour rushes down from the clouds and onto the area. Soon enough it begins to flood. What once were boulders now became mere stepping stones on the flooded river.

Immediately I turn to my Pokémon. Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, and Dewott and floating away downstream—yes, downstream. There's now a river in the area, but there wasn't one before.

"Houndoom, return!" I manage to get my one Pokémon to safety.

Dewott grabs onto Snorunt and they swim back towards me, on higher grounds. I'm on the riverbank, however with the way the weather's going, there won't be a riverbank anymore. I recall Snorunt as I hear Budew screaming for help ("Dew!") from far away.

Dewott and I dive into the floodwater and we swim quickly to Budew. Dewott manages to grab onto a rock as I grab its hand. Budew is stuck on a piece of wood nearby. I outstretch my hand to grab onto my Pokémon's bud, but my arm just isn't long enough. Budew falls off the log and gets submerged in water. Dewott lets go as he and I wade our way down the uncontrollable currents. Budew, I will save you!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy_

"Phanpy, use Rollout! Corphish, use Protect! Swablu, Mist! Grovyle, use Dig to bypass Corphish's forcefield!"

I decided to train my Pokémon outside the coastline and towards the Weather Institute.

"Cyndaquil!" a little noise comes from a tree as a little fiery mouse Pokémon plops down, eating an Oran Berry.

"Cynda?" it looks at me. This little thing keeps its eyes closed, and its back can erupt in flames.

"Oh, a Cyndaquil! Do you wanna play?" I ask it, and Phanpy nudges Cyndaquil happily. The two get along easily.

After an hour or two of playing, the temperature starts to cool down. The cloudless day ends as storm-clouds hover over my head.

A little white thing comes from the sky.

"Is that…snow?"

Suddenly, two more. No, three. No, eight. No—millions. Right before my eyes, a blizzard is happening in the jungle—in August! I return Corphish, Swablu, and Phanpy as I tell Grovyle to find a cave. I start running, but look back to see a shivering Cyndaquil. I pick it up and follow my Wood Gecko Pokémon to seek shelter.

The cave has a large opening, but with the direction of the wind, it makes the perfect place to camp for a while. I grab some Oran Berries from my bag and heal Cyndaquil up. The Pokémon then decides to erupt its back to provide a fire. I send Swablu, Corphish, and Phanpy back out to enjoy the fire. Grovyle seems to like it, too. Now we just have to wait for the storm to blow over.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

Dewott and I kept looking, but now we have to find shelter. The two of us decide to camp under a large, dry tree until the rain subsides. Until then, Budew, you'll just have to wait up on me!

. . .

_Team Aqua Base_

"Archie, it's burning up over here! It went from a nice 80 degrees Fahrenheit to a blazing 115. Is there any reason for this?" a grunt asks.

"Ask a scientist. I'm no Einstein!"

From outside, the sun beats down hard on the Team Aqua base.

. . .

_Team Magma Base_

"Maxie, sir. It's a downpour! If we don't hurry soon, the whole base could float away from civilization!"

"Ask one of our many scientists for help," Maxie explains, "I am but a man with big dreams, not a big brain. Although mine is pretty amazing.

. . .

"Bu-Budew?"

Budew wakes up to a brown, warm face feeding it some berries. Buneary happily bounces around with her new friend as Budew gets up from its recovery.

Buneary insists that Budew waits, and it makes a fire from two sticks and some cotton. Budew decides to stay.

. . .

"Our weather-based experiments are working, sir! All around the route there is hail, rain, and drought!" one scientist from the Weather Institute informs his manager.

"Very nice, very nice. Now we just have to test it on an actual rainy day!" the man smiles.

The two men have no idea that they are causing so much pain—nor are they aware of the consequences of messing with weather in the Hoenn region.


	27. Too Late to Hesitate

**Part 27**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy_

Cyndaquil keeps Grovyle and I warm while the blizzard covers the grass in icy patches. Soon enough, though, it starts to die down. Before I know it, the blizzard stops and the sun melts away the remaining snow. Cyndaquil, Grovyle, and I walk outside.

The scene is beautiful; there are Taillow chirping and Sentret scurrying from their little shelters. An Azurill hops out of a pond and bounces around on its blue-ball tail. There is but a slight, warm breeze in the August air. Leaves blow ever-so-lightly. Sunflora and Bellossom dance among the grounded flowers, varying in colors from orange to red. The sky is baby blue without a cloud in sight. It's just one of those things made for a calendar picture.

Grovyle and I walk out of the cave and take in some fresh summer air. The cave seems less scary than it did inside. I start stepping away from Cyndaquil as it grabs my pants leg.

"Quil! it squeals.

I look down and Cyndaquil, the little Fire Mouse that provided much-needed heat, has a smile that is more warm than the fire it produced earlier.

"Cynda!"

I can't say no. Happily, I get a Pokéball and set it on the ground. Cyndaquil taps it with a little paw and gets sucked inside.

_Shake….Shake…Shake…Diiiing!_

The classic red-and-white ball stops shaking around the button in its center glows red. I've now caught a Cyndaquil! I get my PokéNav and have it scan the Pokéball. According to this machine, Cyndaquil knows Flamethrower, Smokescreen, Quick Attack, and Dig. All moves that seem to fit my description.

. . .

Finally we make it to the Weather Institute. I decided that warning them of the invasion is better than invading them and taking innocent lives hostage. Grovyle and I step in to see a man working random controls.

"It seems like the snowing's a-workin'. The sunlight is goin' to affect plant growth, and the rain'll cause erosion if we don't stop. Cancel all tests, they all are a-workin'!" the scientist yells.

He's not very thin, but he's not completely overweight. He's bald on top but not on the sides of his head. He seems to have been raised in the backwoods of Kanto based on his country accent. This man seems to be the average working-class male, however his intellect is much higher nevertheless. I walk up to the man and poke his shoulder.

"Now son, I know ya love weather but we're busy!"

"Um, I'm not here about the weather," I attempt, but there's no point.

"I'll tell ya anyways. With this satellite dish," he points outside to a giant bowl, "we can actually _make _the weather. Let's say you want rain in Slateport City…"

The man flips a switch and clicks the city of Slateport on the Hoenn map. Instantly, rainclouds appear on a weather camera and the city begins to experience rain.

"Or ya want a drought in Oldale Town…"

Oldale Town, at the flip of a switch, begins to dry up immediately. It's almost disgusting on the camera, seeing plants wilt and Pokémon lose access to watering holes.

"One switch can stop'em all!"

The man flips yet another gizmo and all the weather immediately stops. He starts laughing maniacally while I groan of boredom. Yeah, it's cool, but seriously—this isn't what I came for.

"Excuse me, I'm not here for the weather," I tell the man.

"Then what the heck're ya doin' here?!"

"You need to get out. Now. Team Aqua and Team Magma are about to invade your Weather Institute and take it over. You need to leave as soon as possible."

The many doesn't say anything for a moment.

"No."

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt_

"Bu-dew?!" I yell for the eighth time.

Dewott and I run across the grassy field. Budew's nowhere in sight. The rain finally ended a few minutes ago, but the flooding is still horrendous. We run to this big tree and take a break.

"Bun!"

"Bud!"

We hear noises _inside _of the tree. I decide to call out Snorunt to freeze the front surface.

"Icy Wind!"

My Snow Hat Pokémon does as I say, and then turns around to brag to me. Snorunt is _still _using Icy Wind, too, so my hand goes numb and I fall over with a frozen limb.

"Dewott, use Razor Shell on me! Then on the icy tree bark!"

Dewott grabs its scalchop and slams it against the ice around my arm, freeing it. I call out Houndoom to warm it back up, then I recall him.

Dewott slices the tree while I return Snorunt, and I look to see Buneary and Budew hiding—completely dry, too.

"Budew!"

My little green Pokémon returns to my arms and I send it back in its Pokéball.

"I can't thank you enough, Buneary," I smile at it.

Dewott and I begin walking away as Buneary slams its foot against my back and slams me onto the ground.

"Was that a," I get up and spin around, "Jump Kick attack?"

"Buneary!"

Buneary wants to battle. I decide to call out Snorunt so I can freeze the little rabbit.

"Snorunt, come on out!"

My Snow Hat Pokémon comes back out to see Buneary. It giggles as it watches the bunny hop from side to side like a professional boxer.

Buneary makes the first move. The Rabbit Pokémon uses Double Hit, slapping Snorunt with one puffball ear, and then slugging it with the other as Snorunt recovers from the first hit.

It jumps up and uses Double hit again, however Snorunt hits it with Headbutt to counter the attack. The two end up clashing hard and bounce back to their original positions. Buneary uses Water Pulse, a move usually known by Buneary in Sinnoh, at my Snow Hat. The orb of water targets Snorunt, however my Pokémon uses Icy Wind to make an ice ball.

The ice ball is blown by the cool breeze towards Buneary, however it jumps up and kicks the giant ice sculpture with (you guessed it) Jump Kick. The ice shatters and the remains scatter along the floor.

It seems impossible to defeat this bunny. I can't have Snorunt use Shadow Ball, and Icy Wind doesn't work…neither does Headbutt. Maybe…ah! Buneary hops from side to side while anticipating my next move.

"Snorunt, I want you to scatter Spikes along the ground at Buneary's feet!"

These spiky pieces are thrown towards Buneary. It hops and pinches its feet. Eventually, Snorunt is able to score the win with a powerful Headbutt attack.

"Go, Pokéball!" I yell, and then throw a classic Pokéball at the Rabbit Pokémon.

_Wobble wobble…_The Pokéball clicks once. _Wobble…_clicks again. _Wobble….Ding! _The Pokéball moves one more time until the button flickers red and I catch Buneary!

The one question is: how does Buneary know a move from Sinnoh?

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"…Yes, Boss. Grovyle and I will return to the base with a full report," I sigh into my PokéNav. Grovyle grabs his twig and holds it in his mouth.

"I know, but we have to," I frown.

. . .

"Yessir, the Weather Institute is filled with scientists capable of controlling weather!"

"Does this mean they can cause permanent rain?"

"Well yes sir, it does, but I'm not sure that the scientists would be willing to cooperate in such a…('ridiculous' is what I should say) difficult request. They have not tried _permanent _rain," I continue.

"I don't care if they aren't sure, we'll make them! Anthony, you are hereby _ordered _to take the Weather Institute over…and anyone inside can either join us or…"

"Or what?"

"Suffer the consequences," Archie says gravely, stroking his stubby, short beard. He then turns around in his chair as a sign for me to leave. His office is filled with all of the possible sightings of Kyogre. Psychopath.

. . .

Outside of Archie's room, I see Sean walking by stiffly. I nonchalantly join up beside him with Grovyle as we stroll down the hallway.

"What're you doing?" I ask nicely.

"Oh, shut up. Tony, you're too good for me now. You're in it with the Boss, you went on your own for a mission, and now you're taking over a whole building. You're not you anymore, and I'm tired of trying to stick by you. I'm not your sidekick, I never will be. And you should know this—I don't need you anymore!"

Sean slams into my shoulder as he goes into his room. Rubbing it, I question the meaning of his jealousy. I don't brag at all. Oh well, I'm going to bed.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, Buneary_

In the Team Magma Base, I find Terra and send out my Buneary. Dewott greets it again, and Buneary cheerfully hops around.

"Oh, how nice. You got a Pokémon without me even being there. It's like you don't even care that we _were _friends. That's right, _were. _I don't think we should be talking to one another anymore. I'm done with you and your stuck-up self-confidence!"

With that, she ran off upset and left me alone. I recalled Buneary and scurry to my room to cry. Dewott follows behind.

The rest of the day I mope around on my bed. I send my Pokémon out to train for the next contest, which is rumored to be in Fortree City. That's not too far away. Each Pokémon shows me its growth. One of the impressive things was that Buneary was already equal to the others in contest skills. She creates Water Pulses and destroys them with Jump Kick. While there isn't much to this, it looks spectacular.

Still, my day is ruined and I'm completely upset. I head for bed not too long. The frown is still on my face.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

_Riiiiing!_

"Ahh!" I shout as I accidentally jump out of the bed and slam my head against the ceiling.

It's not going to be a good day. I quickly eat a small biscuit while feeding my Pokémon some food. I get dressed, brush my teeth, and return my Pokémon (except Grovyle) so we can go report in.

Grovyle and I run into Archie's room and tell him that we're both ready for our mission today.

"Your party is now waiting for you outside the base. I want the Weather Institute in our clutches!" he starts laughing maniacally.

. . .

My group is filled with rookies and has-beens. Sean isn't even in the group. Archie said he requested to not be in it. Oh well, I guess.

I march up the route with seven other people, all varying in height and width. One by one, we get closer to the Weather Institute.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, Buneary_

This morning I wake up to an announcement saying, "Admin Alex, you are requested to come into Magma Boss Maxie's Room!"

I quickly get ready, recall every Pokémon but Dewott, and run over to Maxie's room.

"I have heard rumors of Team Aqua going after the Weather Institute today. You will do the same. About seven people will be in your party, however Terra (that's her name, right?) has requested to stay out of it. Whatever is going on between the two of you, I want no part in it."

The red hair on this guy looks so greasy I could vomit. What once was a kind man who took me in and fed me is now one who wishes for nothing but power.

. . .

We march up a ways, only a kilometer away from the Weather Institute, and I hear rustling in the bushes.

"Hush!" I whisper.

We move on and then come face-to-face with eight Team Aqua members.

"Okay, group! Let's get thi—" I stop abruptly.

"…Hi Tony," I say faintly, smiling.

"Hi," the Team Aqua Admin gasps back.

"Attack!" one of the Team Aqua grunts shouts.

Everyone starts battling anyone in the opposite color uniform. Soon enough, seven battles are going on in one area.

"Hey, the admin aren't battling!" one Magma girl whines.

Tony and I just stand there without moving a muscle. I can't battling him. I can't.

"Battle or we'll tell!" another Aqua boy giggles.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Well then, let's battle," I sigh as I grab a Pokéball.

"I can't battle you," Alex whispers.

"Then let _me _battle _you_," I try to emphasize something, but it doesn't even make sense for me.

"Cyndaquil, go! Use Smokescreen!"

My little Fire Mouse Pokémon comes out and fills the whole area in a fit of smoke.

. . .

Once the smoke clears, the girl from Team Magma looks around.

"Our Admin is gone!"

"Hey, so is ours!" the Aqua boy gapes.

They all freak out, but then continue battling. Someone's getting in trouble!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Alex and I finally managed to escape the groups. We keep running with Dewott and Grovyle. I carry Cyndaquil with me on the way there. We skip over fallen logs and hop across small rocks along the river. Finally, the Weather Institute is within four yards of us. I look back to see nothing and we run in quickly.

"They won't evacuate," I explain to Alex as we reach the rooftop first.

"Then use Cyndaquil!" she attempts.

"…How?" I ask reasonably.

"What about…this?"

Alex looks around and finds an air duct on the ground.

"What about it? It just helps bring in air through the vents of…the…whole…oh," I catch on.

So if Cyndaquil uses Smokescreen through the vent, it will travel down through the pipes and leak into every room containing an opening for the air to come through! It's genius!

"Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen down that vent!" I shout as my Pokémon does the action.

In a matter of minutes, screaming and crying can be heard down below, and outside there are tons of people coming outside. I can hear sirens in the distance. I recall Cyndaquil after praising it.

"We need to hurry and get these people to safety. Maybe the cops can—" I start.

"We're criminals. The cops can't get us," Alex reminds me.

We sweep the floors for any leftover people, starting from the first floor. Once we get to the third and final floor (other than the roof), we find a man still working on the computer.

"Sir, you need to evacuate the premises," Alex shakes his shoulders.

Dewott and Grovyle turn the man over and reveal that he was knocked out from the smoke. After I gently slap his face, he becomes conscious again.

"Oh, I'm sorry, kids! Thank you for telling me. Here, have these rocks I was looking at. I'm done with them now," the man thrusts two rocks at us and runs away.

I open up some windows to let the remaining smoke exit. Alex looks at the rocks. He gave me this one labeled a "Damp Rock." It has blue shards in it, much like Alex's "Heat Rock" has red ones inside. We slip them in ours bags quietly and begin to walk out when…

"Freeze!" an intimidating voice shouts from the elevator.

Officer Jenny and three men storm in and surround us.

"Anthony, I know that is you in the blue outfit. Your stepfather has been looking for you. As for this young lady, I'm not sure who she is!"

Officer Jenny has creepy aquamarine hair, but you can't see it because of her blue police hat. Her short skirt and tight jacket make her look kind of trashy in my opinion, but whose opinions matter these days?

Team Aqua and Team Magma are nowhere to be seen. I don't even see the grunts outside fighting anymore. What…what do we do?

. . .

"…and Admin Anthony ran off with that Magma girl!" one snitch smiles as he tells on his superior.

"Very interesting. Looks likes Tony will be hunted down for this one," Archie mumbles sinisterly.

. . .

"Yes, sir! She escaped with that Aqua Admin! She refused to take any action and ran off!" another grunt, this time from Team Magma, tells on her admin.

"Well then, I guess Alex will be exterminated. Unless she gets the Weather Institute," Maxie sighs.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Go, Swablu!" I quickly whisper, while sending out my fluffy hat.

"Don't you try anything. Growlithe, come on!" Jenny throws her puppy in the middle of the room to fight.

Grovyle, Dewott, and Alex are still against the window.

"There's no way out, Tony. We're surrounded," Alex admits defeat.

"No, we're not. Right Swablu?" I look at my cotton ball-winged Pokémon and glance at the window.

"Swa?"


	28. Runaways

**Part 28**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Swablu, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Staring at the window, I thrust Swablu out the door.

"Now! It's finally time, Swablu!" I shout.

My little Cotton Bird Pokémon nods and closes its eyes. Glowing white, its small, puffy-white wings grow larger. Its neck grows longer as well. Two small feathers protrude from the back of the Pokémon's head as the white light stops and it opens its eyes.

"Taria!" it cries.

An Altaria; such a graceful Pokémon. The white cumulus cloud wings and blue, sleek body gives it perfect flying capabilities. Grovyle and Dewott hop on the Pokémon as I turn back to Alex and the police.

"Don't just stand there, get them!" Officer Jenny yells.

I grab Alex's hand and we jump off the window and onto Altaria. Even though we weigh the Pokémon down, my Humming Pokémon is able to glide us away from the police. However, now everyone knows that I'm part of Team Aqua. At least Alex isn't ruined yet.

We glide through the sky. Here and there are some puffy clouds—much like Altaria. She swoops around the air for about an hour, slowly gliding to the trees. From there, all four of us are able to hop off and I recall Altaria.

"That was very close," Alex gasps, still breathing hard.

"Yeah, I agree," I wipe beads of sweat from my forehead.

Grovyle and Dewott relax while we sit around. I suggest that we return to our team bases to let them know what happened. We should also make some sort of excuse as to why we ran instead of fighting.

"If we don't, we'll be on the run," she sighs.

"I'd rather get my way around Archie than be his next doormat," I huff.

From there, we find our way back to the beginning—and our team bases. Alex and I part ways. Eventually, I meet up with my group. Grovyle narrows his eyes.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, Buneary_

_Smack!_

"I don't care if you were making a run for the Weather Institute, that was an idiotic thing to do! You, child, should be ashamed of yourself. You have ruined the whole operation with the Weather Institute! Now the cops have taken it over!"

The room is dark. All I remember is going into the Magma Base, getting trampled by grunts, and being tied up in a chair beside of Dewott. All I can see is Maxie and this bright light in my face. My face…

My face still hurts from Maxie slapping it. His angry voice makes Dewott tremble in fury, however it shrivels in fear at the tone in Maxie's voice.

"I didn't mean to, sir, I was just trying to grab the institute when I had the chance! That blasted Aqua Admin actually gave me the perfect moment to slip," I attempt to explain.

_Slap!_

"Do you think I'm stupid or something?"

"No, sir!"

My face is throbbing and red. My eyesight is getting blurry and at random moments goes black. I can feel myself nod to sleep…

"No! You are not getting out of this punishment! Tabitha and Courtney have never _EVER _teamed up with a Team Aqua ADMIN and sabotage everything we've worked for!" Maxie slaps me through the face again.

I look over at Dewott to see that it is free of the bindings. Its scalchop was close enough for Dewott to use Razor Shell. However, he's still pretending to be bound by the ropes.

"Lights!" Maxie shouts.

The lights overhead turn on as the lamp shuts down. I see every grunt from Team Magma—including Terra—watching my interrogation. My eyes feel weak and I need to stand up. The circulation in my legs is being cut off.

"Dewott…Icy Wind," I manage to whisper.

Dewott breathes a freezing draft through the room. This wind freezes the feet of every grunt standing in my way. Even Maxie is trapped. Dewott slices the rope off my legs, and as the blood flow returns to me legs, the color does so to my face as well. I'm able to think clearly.

"Dewott, let's get out of here," I shout over the screaming voices.

"Get that girl!" Maxie can be heard hissing at his minions.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Grovyle and I have been sent in the dungeons to starve to death. It's not that bad; I'm not chained up and I get a bed, too. At least Grovyle can keep me company. Plus, there's nothing taken from my bag—no one even looked inside!

Secretly, I had Grovyle use Leaf Blade on the steel bars of the door. It failed. Since then there have been guards monitoring me the whole time. Apparently Archie wants to see me in my most vulnerable state. Eventually, at about midnight, everyone heads to bed and I can call Alex via the PokéNav.

I turn the neat device on and the screen pops up to the main menu. I go over to my "Contacts" and select Alex Stone.

_Ring…Ring…_

"Hello?" Alex whispers.

"Alex! I'm locked up to starve to death!" I moan softly. Grovyle is my lookout.

"What?! What are we going to do? I'm on the run; Dewott and I escaped!"

"_Hmm…if she's on the run, then she'll make it out! Maybe she can stop them. I think this is the end for Grovyle and me," _I think to myself. "Maybe…Maybe not!" I have an idea!

"Maybe not what?"

"…Nothing. Meet me by the Weather Institute in one hour," I reply loudly, then smack my mouth so no more noises are heard.

"Gro," Grovyle shushes me.

"Grovyle, I want you to look at the ground," I tell it.

Grovyle first tilts his head at me confusedly, but once he looks at the ground, he understands.

. . .

An Aqua Grunt whistles down the corridor of cells. With only one occupant, it's not hard for him to guard. His black hair is hidden by the Aqua bandana, and he seems not the least bit suspicious.

He sees Anthony's cell has a hole in the floor. Due to budget cuts, they only had a dirt floor. Instead of reporting the break-out, the man opens the cell and goes down the hole. His Pokémon must have used Dig.

He starts crawling down the dirt path.

"It's not that I won't let him get away," he whispers. "I just don't want him to get away without me knowing anything. This boy has something in his power, and I intend to figure out what it is."

He keeps crawling as his cell phone starts buzzing in his pocket.

. . .

Archie walks in to see both the guard _and _Anthony are gone. He rings the alarm and summons two grunts to hunt Tony down. The guard can go; he doesn't matter.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Budew, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Huff…huff…huff," I pant.

Dewott and I keep running to the Weather Institute. We're about twenty minutes away now. As we run, I hear a rustling in the bushes.

"Stop, Dewott."

We listen. And wait.

"Kr…Kr…" the Pokémon growl.

Is it a hurt Pokémon? Dewott and I get close up to see.

"Krokorok!" Two Desert Croc Pokémon hop out of the bushes. They both are brown in color, with black lines down a long, slithery tail and along its torso and legs. It almost looks like they're wearing sunglasses from the black shape around their eyes.

"What do you pests want?" I mutter.

"Us? We just want you to be in custody," a Team Magma member pops out of the brush.

"Buneary, Budew, go!" I yell, backing away and throwing two Pokéballs out.

My little green bud and my bouncing bunny pop out to attack those mean crocodiles. They laugh at the sight of the Pokémon

"Krokorok, use Crunch on Budew!"

"Buneary, Jump Kick!"

Krokorok bites Budew real hard as Buneary kicks it off her. Suddenly, the weakened Budew starts to glow white.

"It's…evolving?" I gasp.

Budew gains arms, but those arms have roses at the ends. A red rose is on its right, while a blue one occupies its left. She now has a leaf skirt around her. Three thorns protrude from her green head. She's absolutely beautiful!

"Roselia," the Pokémon cheerfully smiles.

As a Krokorok tries to take the opportunity to attack, Roselia shoots two spinning columns of pedals straight for it. The attack knocks Krokorok out on contact.

Roselia then shoots out these leaves similar to a Razor Leaf attack. However, Krokorok tries to dodge them by jumping up. The leaves, glowing white yet outlined in green, turn their course and ram Krokorok from behind. The other Pokémon is knocked out as well. Buneary and I watch in awe.

"Roselia's attacks are…well, according to the PokéNav…Sleep Powder, Sludge Bomb, Magical Leaf, and Petal Dance. I guess the last two attacks are new," I notice.

"Ro!" Roselia cheers again.

We keep running when suddenly I hear something—or someone—else.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Grovyle and I keep running through the brush. I decide to call Alex again.

_Ring…Ring…_

All I hear is the sound of…what seems like a Zigzagoon running through the forest or something. I hope she's okay, not being chased down or anything.

"Hello…?" I yell into the PokéNav. No response.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Dewott, faster!"

We keep on running farther and farther. I'm getting tired. Soon, though, I hear the PokéNav sound and my heart rises back into my chest from the depths of my stomach.

"Hello?" I answer.

No response. All I can hear is running through bushes.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Grovyle and I just keep on going through the bushes. Alex better be okay.. There's a noise in the bushes. I mean, there are plenty of Pokémon noises from above and below, but this doesn't sound like a Pokémon.

Actually, the sound is coming in front of me. Due to the pitch-black darkness outside, though, I can't see my hand in front of my face. I can barely see Grovyle beside me.

The noise gets closer. I can hear someone panting. It must be Team Aqua, chasing me down. Or Team Magma, finally catching me and is ready to kill. What's going to happen to me if I get cau—

_BONK!_

I hit something and fall back hard on my butt.

"Hey, watch it!" the feminine voice shouts.

"Well you started it," I fight back.

Wait…that voice.

"Alex?"

"Tony?"

We both say these lines at the exact same time, and then laugh. Grovyle and Dewott greet each other.

"Just like when we met," she whispers.

"Yeah…" I smile. She smiles too.

We sit back to back so we can breathe before running again. The hair stands on the back of my neck as I can hear noises.

"Did you hear that?" I ask.

"I was about to ask you," she responds.

"A-ha!" one Magma Grunt yells as he reveals himself through the bushes.

"There you are," one Aqua Grunt with red hair (A/N: not the guard from before) also squeals.

"Leave us alone," I reply, standing.

"We aren't part of you anymore. You tried to _kill _me," Alex cries.

"And we're going to finish what we started," the Magma Grunt sneers.

"We can't fight them, or all the other grunts will hear and come to get us. We have to run," I whisper to Alex, and she agrees.

"Right."

"Grovyle," I whisper, "take Dewott to the trees and go to Fortree City. It's just east of here," I mutter to my Wood Gecko Pokémon.

On three, we run. Grovyle brings Dewott into the trees. The grunts only see Alex and myself. The Pokémon are free to go from what I know.

"So are you guys ready to give up?"

"Please, we never give up," Alex smirks.

One…

"Alright then, get ready for a clobbering!"

Two…

"Go, Mightyena!"

Three!

Alex and I run through the jungle together. It's still dark, although it is way past midnight still. The trees extend beyond the clouds to where you can't even see their tops. It's like the trees are wooden beams falling from the sky, boxing us in.

"We have to hurry!" Alex screams.

"There they are!" the Aqua Grunt screams to the rest of his group.

"We're never gonna make it," I groan.

Wait…my dream!

_-Flashback-_

_"Since you especially betrayed us, you're getting the worst of it. You can watch Alex…make a nice snack for my Mightyena!"_

_Speechless, I watch the Mightyena back away from me and towards Alex. They get inches away from her feet. She scoots against a tree, but they're surrounding her._

_One jumps in the air and gets ready to pounce.._

_"NOOO!" I scream, waking up from my dream._

_-End of Flashback-_

"Keep going!" Alex whines.

From behind me, noises of Mightyena can be heard. They're chasing us. The gray Pokémon have shaggy black hair all around, but the ferocious part is that there is a whole pack of them. Perfect for cooperation to kill the both of us.

The snarling, deep growl gets closer and closer. I can almost feel the hot breath on the back of my legs. The teeth sinking into my flesh, the blood gushing out in. Just the idea brings a shiver down my spine. This is exactly like my dream.

"Hurry, Alex!" I bawl.

As we run, there is a large root sticking out of the ground. Alex trips over it and forces me to backtrack. I pick her up and run. But from all sides lie several Mightyena hungrily surrounding us. I set Alex down once my arms give out. I'm not strong or anything.

"Give up," the Aqua Grunt laughs.

"I'm still your superior," I attempt, but to no avail.

"Since you especially betrayed us, you're getting the worst of it. You can watch Alex…make a nice snack for my Mightyena!"

Speechless, I watch the Mightyena back away from me and slowly crawl towards Alex. They get inches away from her feet. She scoots against a tree, but it doesn't matter. They've got her surrounded.

One jumps in the air and prepares to pounce Alex…I close my eyes and we both scream.

"Gro…vyle!"

Grovyle swoops down from the trees and knocks Mightyena aside with its Quick Attack.

Dewott slams another one with Razor Shell, making it back away temporarily.

"Cyndaquil! Phanpy! Come on out!"

My Fire Mouse and Long Nose Pokémon come on out. Phanpy immediately sees the problem and charges against a Mightyena. This attack isn't tackle—it's Take Down! Cyndaquil uses Smokescreen. The air gets covered in black all around. Grovyle, still near Alex, uses Dig to make a tunnel to me. Dewott crawls through, and then Alex does. Once the four of us are safe, I decide that Cyndaquil could use some practice.

"Phanpy, use Rollout! Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

Phanpy dives into the hole as it uses Rollout, and then launches itself out of the tunnel to build up momentum. From there, Phanpy has a powerful Rollout attack. With the smoke still in the air, Cyndaquil can't see much either. However, it uses Flamethrower anyways. The attack hits Phanpy's Rollout.

"Phanpy!"

'Whoa' is all I can say. Phanpy is unscathed. Rather, Phanpy is now cloaked in a fire. It took no damage since Rollout makes the flames circle around Phanpy rather than burn it. Therefore, it looks like Phanpy's using Flame Wheel. The Pokémon hits one Mightyena and knocks it out, then two more, and then uses a super-charged one to hit the chief in the middle. All that's left is one Poochyena hiding, and Cyndaquil knocks it out with Quick Attack. Phanpy then stops the Rollout attack and runs over to me.

I can't be more proud of my newer two Pokémon.

. . .

_A few hours later_

"Huff…huff…"

Alex, Dewott, Grovyle, and I finally make it to Fortree City. The town is beautiful—there are tree-houses in the tall trees. Connecting those homes are rope bridges. The only two buildings on the ground are the Pokémon Center and the market.

"I'll go reserve a tree-house to crash in for the night," Alex tells me.

. . .

After we settle into our little hotel, I propose to go eat dinner rather than sandwiches again.

"Sounds good to me," Alex smiles.

In the restaurant, there are three tables. One for a family of four, a big table for special occasions, and a small one for a loner. The owner lets us take the big table. I sit across the table from Alex and decide that we should have some guests with us.

"Come on out everyone!" I shout.

Suddenly, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, and Cyndaquil come out with Grovyle to eat some Pokémon food. Alex's Houndoom, Roselia (it evolved?), Snorunt, and Buneary also get to grab a meal.

We eat _sub _sandwiches—so much better than those regular ones. The bread is fresh, the cheese isn't out-of-date, and the meat is something I'd rather not talk about.

After everyone's eaten, we sit around and think about our day. Alex's face gets red and tears can be seen in her eyes.

"Hey," I whisper, "It's going to be okay."

I look to see my hand on hers. I don't take it away. Neither does she.


	29. Blitzle-krieg

**Part 29**

_Aqua Base_

Archie steps out of the elevator and signals to one of his admin to give a statement before he acknowledges Tony's betrayal to Team Aqua. He and his staff are on the top floor, while the grunts look up from the ground floor. A large podium is set by the railing that protects people from falling off. Matt, an Aqua Admin, steps up and looks over at the thousands of grunts listening.

"Anthony, a previous admin, has been on the loose in an attempt to stop Team Aqua from capturing Kyogre," Matt says, moving his hand through his neatly-combed black hair.

"BOOOO!" the crowd roars.

"I know, I know, but the kid's strong! He breezed through us. Don't fret, however, as our Boss has a solution!" Mat calmly steps away from the podium.

Archie sighs as he steps forward.

"All hail the Boss!" one grunt screams.

"YEEAAHH!" the crowd agrees.

"Settle down, settle down," Archie calmly asks his fans to stop. "Now, if we are to still capture Kyogre, we must go to Mt. Pyre. There is rumors that both the Red and Blue Orbs are guarded by an old couple up there!"

"Aren't there ghosts?" one young grunt asks.

"Nope, no ghosts. Just ghouls—one named Tony, one named Alex. Whoever brings them back in one piece will be upgraded to Super Admin!" Archie yells towards the end.

The audience mimics his loudness in screams of approval.

. . .

_Magma Base_

"Yes, my dear Magmas, we must defeat both Alex and her friend in order to succeed at Mt. Pyre. Let us not forget Team Aqua, either!"

"Magmaaa!"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"I'm going to go see if the Contest Hall is open," Alex says.

"Alright, I'm going to the Fortree City Gym," I reply.

We nod and go opposite ways; she goes left, myself following the right side of Fortree. For now, I think Team Aqua won't bother us. We escaped once, so what's the point in trying again?

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Closed?!" I whine.

There is a big "CLOSED" sign in the front of the building. Apparently the contest was yesterday…not to worry, though. Lilycove City will provide me with my next ribbon. I'm in no hurry. I may as well look around town while I'm outside. Dewott and I decide to walk about. Soon, we come near the blue PokéMart.

"Ah! Help!" a woman screams from inside.

Dewott and I hop in to see the woman being terrorized by…a Pokémon? This Pokémon appears to be a zebra. Its black-and-silver exterior gives it a sleek, electrifying look that benefits from the silver lightningrod on its head.

"Blitzle!" it laughs as it uses Charge Beam on the Potions rack.

"Help!" the woman screams again.

"Wott!" Dewott springs into action.

"No, let Snorunt and Buneary handle this one," I say. "Come on out!"

"Bu-neary!"

"Snorunt!"

"Buneary, Snorunt, use a Water Pulse / Icy Wind combo!"

Buneary thrusts an aquatic orb at Blitzle, while Snorunt brings a cold breeze to make it one large ice ball. This creates one large ice ball. That would hurt if someone threw it at my face like we were in school.

Blitzle then catches on fire and smacks into the ball of ice. Its speed rises, and it uses this increase to bust out of the shop and retreat.

"I'll show that troublemaker!" the woman snaps.

I kind of feel bad for the Pokémon. There must be a reason for it stealing and causing damage. But what could that reason be?

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Oomph!" I smack into something on my way to the Fortree City gym.

Wait…there's nothing there. I poke at the place where I got hurt, and my finger bounces off.

"Keck!" the invisible thing laughs.

Hmm…Grovyle can't do anything…so maybe…

"Cyndaquil, use Smokescreen!"

I throw out my Fire Mouse Pokémon and it spits out smoke to reveal the black shape of a Pokémon. the Kecleon then scrambles off as its identity has been revealed.

"Return," I say.

Grovyle and I enter the gym. All that I can see is one platform in front of me. The rest is just fog—mist. I step on the platform with my Wood Gecko Pokémon. It then rises up into the air, and once it is finished, I see another platform not too far away.

"Not afraid of heights, are you, challenger?" a feminine voice can be heard.

I'm not fool. I know who this person is.

"Nah, Winona," I smirk, "I like it high up. Could you clear the fog, though?"

"Sure, sure."

Soon enough, the fog disappears, and I can see the person now. She has long purple hair, although she wear a blue flight cap over it. Winona smiles and says that there aren't really any rules. Any amount of Pokémon is allowed. She's using six Pokémon, I'm using five. Seems legit.

From the right of us, another platform raises up as a referee says the battle may begin.

"Are you ready, or are you chicken?" Winona provokes me.

"I'm waiting on you," I slyly say.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Get back here, Blitzle!" I scream.

The Pokémon zigzags back and forth, carelessly dodging Dewott's Water Pulse attacks. Eventually, it speeds away again into the forest with a box of take-out food.

"Well at least we know it likes Chinese," I mumble.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Corphish, Crabhammer!"

"Aerodactyl, Wing Attack!"

Corphish slams its claws into the prehistoric Pokémon. The Fossil Pokémon is related to the Pterodactyl family. Its rock-hard wings and body still fly due to its strong wings. These wings are thrown on Corphish's exoskeleton.

"Now use BubbleBeam!"

While Aerodactyl is up close, Corphish spits a strand of bubbles from its pincers. These bubbles are just strong enough to give Corphish the right time to…

"Corphish, ViceGrip that wing and toss Aerodactyl around!"

Corphish grabs onto the Pokémon's right wing and tosses it like a frisbee. He watches the thing spin around, hit the ground, and lose consciousness.

"Aerodactyl is unable to battle. Corphish wins!"

"Aero, return. You did a great job," Winona praises her Pokémon, but then looks back towards me. "You're tough—I'll give you that. Swellow, I choose you!"

The Swallow Pokémon enters with a shiny trace of stars revolving around it. The green wings, orange chest, and awesome haircut all make Swellow menacing.

"Swellow, Brave Bird!"

The Pokémon flies into the air and then begins to plummet on Corphish in a blue aura.

"Protect!"

Corphish produces a green force field that stops the incoming attack.

"Now Aerial Ace for the finish!"

Swellow goes from Brave Bird mode into nothingness—it disappears. Then it reappears at Corphish's face and knocks it flat out. Swellow doubles back into the air, encircling it like a vulture.

I recall my Corphish and assure its honest effort. Then I call out my trusty Cyndaquil for some action.

"Cynda!" the little Fire Mouse squeals.

"Swellow, use Brave Bird!"

Swellow is enveloped in blue energy as it charges towards my Pokémon.

"Cyndaquil, dodge it and use Smokescreen! Then use Dig!"

Cyndaquil jumps aside and unleashes smoke into the air. As Swellow coughs and loses focus, the Fire Mouse jumps into the ground and waits.

"I can't really attack from here," Winona ponders.

"Cyndaquil, start rolling and using Flamethrower on yourself. As you roll, go from side to side to build up momentum!"

Cyndaquil begins to roll gently as it then catches itself on fire and continues spinning. Soon enough, Cyndaquil accumulates enough power to use a new move.

"Now, Cyndaquil, fly up using Flame Wheel!"

My Pokémon, which looks like one of those spinning torches at a circus, slams into Swellow and knocks it out.

'No! My Swellow. Agh, return!" the Gym Leader sighs.

Cyndaquil stops spinning and lands on his feet.

"Skarmory, let's do this thing!"

Out of a Pokéball comes this menacing, steel-bodied Pokémon with a sharp beak and red-filled wings.

"Skar!"

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

Cyndaquil jump up to the Pokémon's elevation and burns it to a crisp. However, the Pokémon still manages to live the hit.

"Wha!?" I gasp.

"Sturdy ability never lets Skarmory to be one-hit KO'd. Unless…"

Skarmory flinches from something, then falls to the ground unconscious.

"…it gets burned by the attack. Great," she pouts while returning her next Pokémon.

Cyndaquil is on fire—two Pokémon are out now because of him. This makes a total of three—we're already halfway there.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Blitzle, you get back here," I scream.

Dewott runs up and hits it with a strong Razor Shell, but gets blasted by a Spark attack. Buneary uses Jump Kick and it knocks the Pokémon down. As it recuperates, Buneary uses the attack again but misses and falls.

"Blitzle, there's nowhere to run!" I yell.

I occupy one side. Dewott gets the other, while Buneary brings in the rear.

"What can you do now?"

"Blit!"

Blitzle jumps up, over my head, and gallops away. The Pokémon's actually growing on me. I mean, we're going to need more Pokémon once we start fighting Team Aqua and Team Magma, right? The more, the merrier.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Altaria, I choose you!" Winona decides.

Whoa. The same Pokémon that I have. A fluffy-winged, long, blue-necked Pokémon comes out and automatically hits Cyndaquil with an Aerial Ace.

"Cyndaquil, Flamethrower!"

"Match it with _your _Flamethrower!"

Two attacks collide and hit evenly. I tell Cyndaquil to put in more power, but Altaria slips in just as much. Eventually, the two attacks grow so large that the giant ball of fire explodes and renders Cyndaquil unable to battle.

"Cyndaquil, return…You did amazing in this gym. I'm _very _proud of you," I smile.

"Cynda…" it weakly returns the smile as it is outlined in red and zips back in the Pokéball.

I smirk. Now let's spice things up a little.

"Altaria, let's show them who the _real _Sky Queen is!"

My own Altaria pops out, sees the situation, and flies up into the air.

"Use Dragon Dance!" Winona shouts.

Dragon Dance? Hm…maybe mine can learn that. Winona's Altaria flaps its wings back and forth, creating this dust around it. The dust, however, can be seen having ripples of red electric sparks. It looks awesome.

"You use Dragon Dance, too, Altaria!"

My Pokémon glances at me, yet it does the move anyway. It does the same thing the other Altaria did, and the same result appears: strengthened attack and speed.

"Now use Outrage!"

My Altaria uses Mist to counter the attack (I wasn't able to see what it looked like) and then uses Dragon Dance once more.

"Now _you _use Outrage," I shrug.

Altaria glows red and my once calm Pokémon turned into something seething with rage. Altaria slams into Winona's, however it uses the same attack and hits this time. This goes on two more times each, hitting the other and getting hit. While the Pokémon are still hitting hard, both are tired. My Altaria, however, uses Aerial Ace to knock the other out. With only two Pokémon left, Winona recalls her fainted Altaria and sends out another Pokémon.

"Staraptor, I choose you!"

This…impressive bird comes out with pride and confidence. Its gray feathers and talons seem intimidating, but pale in comparison to the red, sleeked-back hair from the top of the head. The Pokémon intimidates my Altaria, lowering its attack.

"Outrage!"

"Quick Attack!"

Staraptor hits first—directly into the side of my really weak Altaria. The Pokémon falls from the air and onto the ground.

"Altaria, return," I quietly say. "You did a great job."

"Are you going to try yet?" Winona sneers playfully.

"Grovyle, let's show them what true power is," I glance over to my left. Grovyle jumps off from the tall platform and onto the ground.

"Brave Bird!"

"Dodge it with Quick Attack. Then slam it with a Leaf Blade!"

Staraptor glows blue and charges towards my partner. Grovyle jumps up with Quick Attack and pounces the Pokémon. From there, it proceeds to slash at Staraptor with Leaf Blade.

"Close Combat!"

Staraptor flips around and smacks Grovyle down with its wings. After the brutal attack, Staraptor lands on the ground and its wings shake.

"Grovyle, use Acrobatics!"

The Wood Gecko Pokémon jumps in the air, lands on his hands, and then pushes off from the ground to rocket back up. Grovyle lands on Staraptor and kicks it. Using Leaf Blade, Grovyle slices some feathers off the wings.

"Brave Bird!"

Staraptor glows blue again, and because Grovyle is much closer than last time, hit my Pokémon hard with a powerful attack.

"Close Combat!"

"Leaf Blade!"

Grovyle and Staraptor close in on one another and clash together. As the fighting commences, Grovyle seems to be getting tired. Soon, a big cloud of dust appears from all of the brawling. As it clears, Grovyle sits on Staraptor's unconscious body while messing with its twig.

"Staraptor…return…"

Grovyle hops up and then falls to its knees in pain. Though not defeated, Grovyle is certainly weakened. I'm not sure what chances I have left, but depending on Winona's last Pokémon, I may be in trouble. Grovyle and Phanpy are all I have left.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary_

"Snorunt, Icy Wind!"

Snorunt freezes Blitzle's feet, but the Pokémon thaws them out with Flame Charge. It uses Charge Beam on Snorunt, knocking it backwards.

"That's it. Go, Pokéball!" I shout angrily.

I throw a Pokéball, the classic red-and-white, at Blitzle and it gets captured inside. _Shake….shake…Ding! _

"I…actually caught it?"

Dewott watches me fall to my knees as I laugh. I finally stopped the terrorizing. Plus, Blitzle seems like a strong Pokémon.

. .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Togekiss, Thunder Wave!"

This Pokémon has killed me for the past twenty minutes. White in color, with red and blue speckles here and there, has been hitting Grovyle repeatedly. It looks like a plane or something.

"Toge!"

Togekiss shoots an electric beam to Grovyle. The poor Pokémon becomes paralyzed.

"Now….Air Slash!"

Togekiss' ability, Serene Grace, makes it very difficult to control. Air Slash causes Grovyle to flinch most of the time. The paralysis makes it really hard for my poor Pokémon. This last air slash causes Grovyle to fall over. I pull Grovyle off the field and let it rest.

"Thanks for ridding me of Staraptor, buddy!"

I send out my Long Nose Pokémon, Phanpy, to combat this Togekiss. Phanpy starts off with an Ice Shard attack, hitting Togekiss for nice damage.

"Thunder Wave!"

Phanpy absorbs the attack easily. Winona smacks her face for forgetting Phanpy's part Ground-typing, but this just gives me the upper hand.

"Now use Rollout!"

Phanpy rolls around to gain momentum, then smacks Togekiss onto the ground. Once it gets back up, Phanpy does the same thing and bounces to make it go up in the air. From this point, Phanpy uses Take Down to knock Togekiss out.

. . .

I walk out of the Pokémon Gym with Grovyle and meet up with Alex and her Dewott.

"Got the Feather Badge," I boast.

"Nice. The Contest Hall was closed. I did get a new Pokémon, though!"

"What Pokémon is it?"

"It's a Blitzle—an electric zebra," she explains.

I look at my light-blue feathery badge and put it in the case. Six down, two to go. Grovyle and Dewott run in the Pokémon Center to rest as I heal my Pokémon.

"I'm heading to bed," I announce after my Pokémon are healed.

"Me too," Alex agrees.

We get our Pokémon and then go to our separate rooms to sleep. I need sleep.

. . .

_Unknown Grunt_

The man finally reaches Fortree City. He walks in the Pokémon Center and sees that the two runaways are in their rooms. However, he is so tired that he can't stand talking to people so late. The man grabs a hotel room and sleeps for many, many hours.


	30. Seems Kinda Phishy

**Part 30**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Come on, Alex! Lilycove City is just calling for you!" I sing as Grovyle and I race out of the Pokémon Center.

"It's. Too. Early."

Alex and Dewott droop out of the hospital/hotel's door and slump on a bench. Alex's eyes are heavy with the lack of sleep. I can't do anything about it, though.

"It's only seven in the morning," I scold.

We walk east of the wonderful city of treehouses. Once we make it, I listen to the sound of voices. Hesitantly, we hide behind a large bush and notice that the voices are coming from a little bridge.

"Look, Boss. We're trying to find the kiddos. We'll take them back alive, like you want," Matt's voice can be heard.

There is a whole group of Aqua Grunts, with their leader being Admin Matt, scouring the premises. The four of us begin crawling to the edge of the bridge, behind a large patch of grass, and peek through the weeds to get a closer look.

"You…don't…want them alive? Sir, in all due respect, we can't just _kill _those two. They're just kids!"

…_Just a few weeks ago I would have called Archie my new father. Now he can go jump in a hole. I'll be glad to dance on his grave._ I look back over to see Matt combing through his gelled hair.

"Yes, I see them in the grass now. Yessir, I'll get rid of them. Goodbye," he sighs.

_Wait, what?!_

"After them."

. . .

The Aqua Grunt wakes up in the Pokémon Center room provided. He looks at the clock—it's 10:12! He must have overslept. Now he has to stalk those kids down and talk to them.

"I need to talk to Anthony," he sighs, getting ready for the day.

"And I will, or my name isn't L—oh!" the grunt trips over a shoe in the floor and falls flat on his face.

"A loser…"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"We'll battle," I quickly suggest.

"Hmm," Matt contemplates.

"If you win, it's game over. If we win, we keep on going."

Matt rubs his chin and looks at his posse. They nod approvingly, so he decides to go along with it.

"Fine. Let's go ahead and begin. You first," he smiles.

"Phanpy, come on out!" I sling a Pokéball into the air.

The Long Nose Pokémon cheers as its baby blue trunk waves back and forth.

"Ah, a ground-type Pokémon. Vaporeon, come out with a Hydro Pump."

Matt sends out this feline—wait, no! A fox—no! A dog—no…this blue quadruped Pokémon spews out a stream of water that knocks Phanpy straight out.

"Phanpy…return," I gasp.

Phanpy gets outlined in red and then zips back into the Pokéball. Usually, it does so well in battles…Sometimes even scoring the major KO!

"Grovyle, let's try it your way," I tell my friend to the side.

"Vyle!"

Grovyle jumps onto the grassy field and uses Leaf Blade on Vaporeon immediately.

"Vapreon, Ice Beam!"

"Dodge it, Grovyle, and slam into Vaporeon with your Acrobatics!"

Vaporeon begins to form a small orb of ice in its mouth. It grows and grows as the Pokémon is ready to attack. Grovyle puts a twig in its mouth and gets ready.

"Now!" Matt shouts.

Vaporeon unleashes the freezing beam just after Grovyle kicks up. My Wood Gecko Pokémon lands on its hands once he's pulled to the ground. He thrusts again and slams into Vaporeon. The Pokémon falls over unconscious.

"Vaporeon, return! Ludicolo, it's your time to shine!"

"Ludi-Ludicolo!" the pineapple-looking Pokémon dances around.

"Grovyle, Leaf Blade!"

"Ludicolo, Ice Beam!"

Ludicolo freezes Grovyle just as its razor-sharp blades were about to slice. However, Grovyle was close enough for his sculpture to slam into Ludicolo. The impact makes the ice break. Grovyle and Ludicolo both fall to the floor. They both were hit hard.

I pick Grovyle off the field and set him beside me. Then I call out my Altaria to battle whatever's next. Matt recalls Ludicolo.

"Mandibuzz, I choose you!"

Altaria, a graceful, puffy cloud-winged Pokémon has to face off against an evil-looking vulture. Both fly in the air.

"Altaria, Dragon Dance!"

"Mandibuzz, Psych Up!"

Altaria glows red and begins to get stronger. Mandibuzz, however, creates this spiral vortex that copies Altaria's stat changes and makes Mandibuzz just as strong and fast.

"Altaria, Outrage!"

"Mandibuzz, use Brave Bird!"

Altaria seethes with anger as Mandibuzz glows blue and begins to charge. The two of them then begin to race towards one another. As they hit, both are thrown backwards. Because of the effects of Outrage, Altaria has to do the attack a total of two or three times.

"Outrage!"

"Brave Bird!"

The same effect happened; Altaria falls back as Mandibuzz does the same thing. Altaria's anger leaves finally.

"Brave Bird!"

"Dodge it and hit with Aerial Ace!"

As Mandibuzz, whose color is blue, charges towards the spot where Altaria is, Altaria disappears for a second. Mandibuzz misses the attack and my Pokémon reappears tackling it to the ground. Mandibuzz is out.

"But, Mandibuzz! Your defenses?!"

"Brave Bird makes the user take recoil damage. You were dwindling faster," I explain.

"Feraligatr, come on out! Ice Punch!"

Out of Matt's Pokéball, a blue-armored alligator is cast out. The Pokémon's fist turns into an ice cube as it smashes against Altaria and knocks it out.

"Altaria, return! …Cyndaquil, give it your best shot!"

Cyndaquil comes out in a Smokescreen as it uses Dig. Now the air is contaminated, but not underground.

"Get ready for a powerful Dig + Flamethrower combo!"

"Not so fast," Matt smiles.

"Feraligatr, use Surf!"

Suddenly, the Pokémon makes a tidal wave out of nothing. Then, it rides the wave through the smoke and lands on my side of the field.

"That…didn't do anything," I say.

"Look at your Cyndaquil."

Cyndaquil floats out of the hole in the ground unconscious—the tidal wave had gone down the hole. Cyndaquil was trapped.

"Cyndaquil, come back! Corphish…this is all yours now," I gasp.

Out comes my Ruffian Pokémon. Corphish uses Crabhammer on the ground and begins to spin. While it does this, it uses Protect. Feraligatr begins to hit hard with Aqua Tail, however it is blocked. Corphish begins to shoot out bubbles because of its Bubble Beam attack. As Feraligatr is about to use Crunch, Corphish jumps up and uses ViceGrip to hold its mouth in place. Feraligatr flinches back and falls over.

"Feraligatr, return. Hm!" Matt snickers.

"What's so funny?"

"Crawdaunt, let's show junior how _real _crustaceans roll."

Matt sends out this giant Corphish. It has blue Vs on its neck and a star on its head.

"I know _all _your Pokémon, Anthony. You didn't have a chance from the start,"" Matt smiles sympathetically.

"Corphish, use Crabhammer!"

"Night Slash!"

Corphish rears back with a bluish-white pincer as Crawdaunt smacks it twice, knocking the Pokémon over. Crawdaunt is already tired, though. I see Matt do something…what?! Two can play at this game.

"Corphish, Bubble Beam!"

Crawdaunt blocks the attack with its large pincers and uses Superpower. The Pokémon glows red and charges against Corphish with a force so strong that rocks fly up and attack, too. Corphish falls over unconscious.

"Looks like you're coming with us," Matt smiles.

…I lost. Alex screams out, "Tony!"

"Too bad, Matt," I laugh.

"Why are you laughing?"

"We both had tricks up our sleeves. You threw a healing item at Crawdaunt behind my back. So I did the same," I recall.

While Crawdaunt used Superpower, I cleverly healed two Pokémon—Altaria and Cyndaquil.

"Cyndaquil, come on out with a Smokescreen! Altaria, get us out of here!"

The air gets thick and black. Something scoops me up. Alex hops on along with Grovyle and Dewott.

"I'll get y—cough cough!" Matt wheezes.

It takes only three minutes for us to arrive in Fortree, heal, and be outside and ready to train.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary, Blitzle_

I watch Corphish and Cyndaquil fight each other one-on-one. They brawl for over half an hour before the two tie.

"_I understand that Tony's upset, but Matt has way more experience. I hate seeing Tony so down…" _I think to myself.

"Maybe I should train over there," I point over to the Pokémon Center. Dewott and I walk over to the side of the building facing the previous route to our left, where the Weather Institute still lies.

"The Lilycove Contest isn't too long now!" I cheer.

"Neither is your doom!" a voice whispers, grabbing my mouth.

A Leafeon jumps in front of Dewott. The person behind me reveals himself—it's…Tabitha?!

"Miss me?"

"Not in the least."

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Corphish, you know you can evolve and beat that thing, right?" I ask.

"Phish!" the Ruffian screeches.

I think Corphish wants to beat Crawdaunt on its own…

"Then let's find a way to beat it," I suggest.

Crawdaunt is Water/Dark. So if we can get a move super effective against it…

"I know just the guy!" I smile.

"Phish?" Corphish tilts its head slightly.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary, Blitzle_

"Let's fight," I shout.

Tabitha tells Leafeon to back off. He sends out another Pokémon instead—a Lampent. This Pokémon looks like a little lamp, but it's also a ghost.

"Dewott, Razor Shell!"

Dewott slices Lampent with its Scalchop and beats the Pokémon in one hit.

"Agh! Lampent, return! Leafeon, just finish the thing off with Leaf Blade!"

Leaf Blade…Grovyle knows that move.

"Dewott, dodge it!"

It's too late. Leafeon slash its tail against my Dewott, and the Discipline Pokémon falls over out of the competition.

"Houndoom, use Fire Blast!"

I send out my Fire/Dark dog to do some work. Houndoom breathes a star-shaped flamethrower attack that spirals and KOs Leafeon in one hit. This match is breezing by.

"Leafeon, come back. Simisear, come on out!"

Out comes this ugly monkey. It looks so goofy.

"Use Fire Blast on Houndoom!"

Oh no.

Simisear uses the same attack that Houndoom did, but this time on my Pokémon. This is bad. Not because of the damage, though. Last time, Houndoom went crazy from a Flash Fire boost.

_~Flashback~_

_"Torkoal, use Eruption!"_

_The smoky hole from Torkoal's back explodes into fits of fire and magma. It hits Dewott for decent damage, but it does resist the attack so it didn't do too much. However, Houndoom ignites really strongly—Flash Fire has taken over its mind. Here lately, with all of the extra power and attention, Houndoom has been losing its mind with Flash Fire. It kind of…gets overwhelmed by the power._

_"Houndoom, calm down. It's okay. Dewott, use Razor Shell on Torkoal!"_

_. . ._

_Houndoom does what it wants. I'm not able to say anything. First, Houndoom uses Iron Tail to push Torkoal back up in the air, which gives it just enough time to defeat it._

_"Use Dark Pulse!" I command._

_It doesn't. Instead, it uses a fire move. I've…never seen this move before. I don't know how to explain it, but I'll try._

_Houndoom unleashes this attack that looks like…well, the shape of a star. Yes! It looks like a star on fire. Houndoom uses this attack—the PokéNav calls it Fire Blast—to create some sort of shield around it. The five points are suddenly outlined in dark. Houndoom__does__use Dark Pulse, and the outlining creates a solid form to hit the attack with. Basically, Houndoom is using a super-STAB Fire Blast / Dark Pulse combo. It then hits the flaming evil star with Iron Tail to make it spin. Torkoal comes crashing back down just to be KO'd in a matter of seconds. Houndoom then uses Shadow Ball in the middle of the star, and the whole attack disappears. Then it collapses on the ground as I run to it. The Flash Fire boost is gone._

_~End of Flashback~_

That ability…

"Doom!" Houndoom screams.

It uses Fire Blast on Simisear, knocking it unconscious. Houndoom then uses Shadow Ball on _Tabitha!_

"That's it! Infernape, Close Combat!"

Another fire monkey comes out. This time, the monkey looks scary. With a flame on its head, the thing smashes its fists into Houndoom.

"Houndoom, just stop! You did great! I can't let you suffer from this power and damage at the same time! You'll lose it," I squeal, returning my Pokémon.

"Snorunt, come on out!"

My Snow Hat Pokémon returns to the party by throwing a bunch of Spikes at Infernape's feet.

"Mach Punch!"

Before I can even react, Infernape knocks Snorunt out with a powerful priority attack. Snorunt goes unconscious.

"Snorunt, return. Roselia, let's try this!"

"Fire Blast!"

My beautiful Thorn Pokémon cheers as it comes out. However, it gets smacked by a fire-type attack and faints.

"Blitzle, give it your best!"

My electric zebra busts out of its Pokéball and smacks Infernape with a Spark attack.

"Infernape, Close Combat!"

"Spark!"

The fire starter punches and punches and punches. Eventually, Blitzle loses its versatility and gives in due to Infernape's sheer power.

"Bli…"

"Blitzle, return," I begin to tear up.

"This is too easy. I have two left still1"

I look at my last remaining Pokéball. "Buneary," I whisper," I'm counting on you. If we fail, there's no telling what he may do…"

"Mach Punch!"

Infernape runs towards my Bunny as it pops out of the Pokéball.

"Water Pulse!"

Just as Infernape begins to make contact, Buneary unleashes a small blue orb. Due to the defense drops of Close Combat, the attack knocked it out.

"Finally!" I squeal.

"Infernape, come back. You did _fantastic_!"

"What's wrong, Tabitha? Nervous?" I laugh.

"Not the least bit. Bisharp, come on out!"

"Bisharp?" I ask.

Once the thing is released, it looks like some Power Ranger.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Hariyama, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Thanks, Dad. I'll return Hariyama once Corphish learns Brick Break!" I thank him.

I send out the Pokémon and get a huge hug.

"How are you doing, buddy?" I ask, being crunched by the hug.

"Yaaaama!" it bellows.

All my Pokémon greet Hariyama. Cyndaquil gets to meet him for the first time.

"Now Corphish," I say, "I need you to pay attention to Hariyama."

I look over to see my Pokémon use Brick Break on a boulder. Corphish tries this, but to no avail.

Phanpy runs around with Cyndaquil on its back. Grovyle and Altaria are in the shade of a tree house. If I could live here, I think I would.

"Phish!" Corphish slams its pincer into a rock and it slices into two perfect halves.

"Perfect!" I yell.

"Phiiiish!" Corphish then squirts me with scalding hot water.

"AAHHH!" I scream, running around with a red face.

"Is that Scald?" I say once recuperated.

For about an hour or two, Hariyama shows me its new Close Combat attack. The thing is really impressive now.

I think Corphish is ready. Hariyama gladly goes back to Norman.

"Corphish."

"Phish?" it looks up.

"It's time."

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Snorunt, Buneary, Blitzle_

"Bisharp, Guillotine!"

"Jump Kick?" I guess. Never faced this before.

Buneary beats Bisharp to the attack. She kicks the Pokémon and it instantly faints.

"What the—?" Tabitha confusingly gasps.

"I guess Bisharp is weak to Fighting-type attacks?"

"Four times…"

Buneary kicks Tabitha in the face and we run out of Fortree and into the woods. Sucker.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Come to battle again?" Matt asks.

"One on one. My Corphish versus your Crawdaunt."

"And if I don't?"

"I don't see why you wouldn't..."

"What if I defeated you now?"

"You know I'll escape," I smile.

"Fair enough. Crawdaunt, let's do this again!"

And so the battle begins.

. . .

_**Aqua Grunt**_

"Huff…huff…" the grunt wheezes.

"I'll…catch up to you…or else my name isn't L…" he collapses.

"Lazy…"

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"Crawdaunt, Night Slash!"

"Corphish, use Protect!"

This has been going on for half an hour. I haven't revealed anything yet so far, though.

"Corphish!" I yell.

"Crawdaunt!"

"Crabhammer!" The both of us screech.

They knock each other back. Corphish gives a look of pure determination.

"Scald!"

Corphish spits a hot stream of water from its pincer that hits Crawdaunt and burns it. The Pokémon looks a lot less intimidating.

"No!" Matt yells with his gelled hair.

"Brick Break to finish it off!"

Corphish smacks down on Crawdaunt's star and causes the Pokémon to fall out of the battle.

"Lose to a pre-evo…"

"Phish! Phish!"

I hug my Ruffian Pokémon as it finally seems satisfied.

"Grovyle, Quick Attack."

Grovyle jumps out from the trees and slams Matt away into the bushes. While he gets up, I'm already running with a reptile to my side and a crustacean in my arms. Soon, I see Alex waiting by a pier leading to the ocean. I hop down and sit on the edge with her while looking at the sunset.

"Look," she whispers, holding Dewott.

"What?" I look that way, but all I see is…

"Mt. Pyre," I gasp.

In the distance, I see a tall purple mountain being encircled by clouds and claps of thunder.

"That's our next stop?"

"No. That's Team Magma's next stop."


	31. Not Giving a Hoot

**Part 31**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Alex and I ride a small boat through the water. We should be getting closer to Mt. Pyre.

"So what is going to happen?"

"Well Alex, hopefully we can get whatever Team Aqua or Magma wants before they do," I explain.

Grovyle and Dewott sit in the back talking in their own Pokémon language.

. . .

After another hour, we arrive at the cemetery part of the mountain. After paying our respects to the dead, we trek over the outside terrain to get to the top. After about ten minutes, we hear voices.

"Grovyle, get ready to fight."

"You, too, Dewott!"

We end up fighting five Magma Grunts in the process of making it halfway up the mountain. I take down one while Alex gets rid of the other _four _with only her Snorunt. She and Snorunt gleefully talk about the success.

"Have you thought about letting Beautifly be with one of your Pokémon? Like sending one back?" I remember the poor butterfly being all alone.

"Oh yeah," Alex frowns.

"I miss Beautifly. Your mom told me to check up on it once I get four ribbons, though. Lilycove City has a Contest Hall. Until then…" she looks at Snorunt. "Why don't you go join her with Tony's Mom?"

Snorunt happily gets recalled back into its Pokéball.

"Now all we need is a Pokémon Center," I explain.

"Not true," Alex says.

"Huh?"

She gets out her PokéNav, looks through the apps, and finds one labeled "Pokéball Teleporter."

"How is that even possible?"

Alex face-palms as she begins to go into detail. "You see," she informs, "my father is the CEO of the Devon Corporation. He basically _made _this thing. So obviously I'd know how to use it."

She gets Snorunt's Pokéball in front of the scanner and clicks a button. A small laser analyzes the contests and _boop_! The Pokéball shrinks down and disappears. About five minutes later, my mom calls and says that she got Snorunt and will train it well.

We keep on moving up the mountain. Shuppet, Meditite, and Litwick dance in the shadows and bushes along the way. Nuzleaf move from gravestone to gravestone. I even see a Hypno's outline far in the brush. We move on to hear another voice, though this resembles one of a child.

"Dang it, Hoothoot, you can't do _anything _right! I'd rather have a Dunsparce than you. I told you to use _Roar of Time, _not Feather Dance!"

…I look over at Alex. Her face is the color of a fire truck; she's so mad. Though her mumbling is hard to decipher, I can make these words out:

"Bratty trainer…Hoothoot can't help it…Dialga knows Roar of Time…Kid doesn't even know how to…"

"Do you want to go teach him a lesson?" I suggest.

"Finally," she snaps.

The kid seems to be about ten years old and probably just started his journey. His Hoothoot, as he calls it, stands on one leg. The brown fur and black "eye-lashes" make it look wise, just as most owls actually are.

"Your Hoothoot can't learn Roar of Time, so stop fussing at it. It isn't Hoothoot's fault. It's _yours_," Alex shouts at him, pointing fingers and spitting out words.

I'm just glad _I'm _not in _that _guy's shoes…

"Well then I don't want Hoothoot! I want Roar of Time!"

"Then get a stupid Dialga or something!"

"I think I will!"

"So, what, are you just going to leave your Hoothoot?"

"Hoot…" the Pokémon sobs.

"Yes, yes I am. Hoothoot, I'm releasing you. You can have it, big girl. I don't need this little bird anymore. I'm catching a Dialga!"

The kid storms off.

"When I'm done with you, the only thing you'll be catching is a—" I shake Alex's shoulders and she comes back to reality, where she's a teenager again.

"…a cold?"

The kid is gone now. We sit by Hoothoot and talk to it. Grovyle and Dewott practice battling.

"You know what? I think I _will _take this poor Pokémon. I mean, Snorunt's with Beautifly so I do have room now."

She gets out her PokéNav to see what the Pokémon knows.

"Okay, so you know Air Slash, Feather Dance, Mirror Move, and Confusion. That's not bad...that kid doesn't know a thing about Pokémon," Alex assures the Hoothoot.

She taps the Pokémon with a classic Pokéball and it goes inside. Shake, shake, shake_…Ding! _Alex then sends Hoothoot back out to get attached with it.

"Now that you're mine, do you want me to carry you up the mountain?" she asks.

The Hoothoot cries with joy. The five of us, which includes Grovyle and Dewott, make our way to the top. With only a little bit to go, someone stops us.

"Well hello there little criminals," Courtney sighs. "I didn't think you'd turn on us like that. But you did!"

"I thought the same as you did, Courtney. Which is strange—I never agree with Team Magma," Shelly walks out of the bushes.

"Then let's take the opportunity to beat the both of them," Courtney chimes.

"Very good idea. I'll use my trusty Pelipper to beat Tony again!"

Shelly sends out her Pelipper and Courtney calls her Flareon into battle. I send out Phanpy. Alex chooses Hoothoot.

"Phanpy, let's start things off with Bulldoze!"

Phanpy begins to shake the ground, hurting Flareon but not the others. Their part-Flying typing makes them immune.

"Pelipper, use Water Pulse on Phanpy!"

"Hoothoot, Confusion!"

As Pelipper unleashes a blue orb of water, Hoothoot reflects it back with a telekinetic attack. The orb hits Flareon extra hard. The poor eeveelution simply cannot keep up.

"Flamethrower!"

Flareon emits a trail of fiery from its mouth, bursting into flame upon contact with Phanpy. My Pokémon shakes it off, though.

"Phanpy, Rollout!"

Phanpy curls up into a ball and slams into Pelipper. The Pokémon, however, uses Water Gun as Phanpy gets too close. Both Pokémon take damage and faint. I recall Phanpy and patiently watch Hoothoot fight Flareon.

. . .

_**Alex:**__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Hoothoot_

"Flareon, Flamethrower again!"

Flareon does the same tactic against my new Owl Pokémon. Hoothoot flinches from the flames, though its feathers do not get singed by the fire. Hoothoot begins to shed a few tears and sobs loudly.

"Sounds like your Pokémon is a ready for its bottle," Courtney sneers.

I go over to Hoothoot and reassure him. "Hoothoot," I whisper soothingly, "I'm not pushing you. You know your own limits, not me. I'm already proud of you."

"Save it for someone who cares," Shelly yawns, getting annoyed.

"Now, Hoothoot, what is that you want to do?"

Hoothoot turns back to Flareon and uses Confusion—on itself. Suddenly, the Pokémon begins to glow white.

"It's…evolving? Already?" Tony gasps.

Hoothoot's wings go from pitifully small to impressively long. Its eyebrows turn into the shape of a trident. Now the Pokémon stands with both legs. There are dark triangles that point downward along the chest.

"Noctowl!" the Pokémon screeches.

Noctowl flies up high into the air, swoops down, and uses Air Slash to whip Flareon up off the ground and then slam it back down. Courtney recalls the Pokémon since it fainted.

"Fine, you win!" the two of them run off.

Noctowl perches on my shoulder as we continue. Grovyle and Dewott still can't believe it.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Finally! We made it! The five of us, after a long journey, have finally made it to the peak of Mt. Pyre. However, I don't see any grunts around…all there are just an old couple and two orbs on pedestals around.

"Only the chosen may take the orbs," the old lady whispers.

Alex and I reach out to the orbs. My finger is so close to the blue one that—ow! I get thrown back from some powerful force. Alex does, too. Grovyle and Dewott rush to catch up.

"How nice of you to keep my orb warm," a voice emanates from above.

We look up to see that a Swanna had slammed into us. Team Aqua's helicopter settles on the ground and grunts swarm around. Archie walks on up to the pedestal.

"And it's nice of you to keep _my _orb warm," Maxie retorts as he and his crew come out of the shadows.

Those two orbs…they have the ability to manipulate Kyogre and Groudon at the holder's will. Even though it may not be good, there's only one thing to do…

"Grovyle, use Quick Attack on the orbs!"

As Grovyle sprints to grab the orbs, I hide myself and my friends behind some bushes. Grovyle knocks into the orbs and sprints back as a Walrein is sent out to destroy it.

"Noctowl, use Confusion!" Alex whispers.

Noctowl raises the red orb and thrusts it from the pedestal. Archie runs after it, unaware of its color.

Maxie grabs the other one in desperation and runs away with Team Magma. The red orb, which is the one Archie is after, is thrown from the cliff and falls down to the water. Archie jumps down to grab it.

"He's going to die," I remark.

Archie gets the orb while falling into the sea. However, a Gyarados catches Archie right before he plops into the ocean. Team Aqua, once seeing this, all run to the helicopter. After about seven minutes, the only people left are us and the old couple. We walk up to talk to them; they seem wise enough to understand what is going on.

"This is bad, my wife," the husband glances at her.

"I know."

"Wait," I ask, "what's wrong?"

"The one in blue got the red orb. If he is after Kyogre…then he will succeed. That is not the bad part, however. He will succeed in getting Kyogre, yes, but the orb itself will cause him to lose control of his body. The man will, if he does indeed control Kyoge, explode."

"And the red man?" Alex wonders.

"Him, too. They both are doomed from now on. There is only one thing to do," the woman explains.

"What is that?" I ask.

. . .

"This orb isn't blue, it's _red_!" Archie gasps as he rides to the mainland. "Oh well," he tells himself, "I already looked it up. Both orbs can be used to control the beings of land and see. Now we just have to find one."

. . .

"Sir, it appears that the orb we were looking for is not this one. We got the orb Team Aqua needed," a Magma Grunt informs her boss.

"No need for panic, child. Both orbs will work on either. It doesn't matter. Now, go play with your Pokémon," he smiles.

"Yes sir…"

"Oh, and Terra?"

The girl looks up. "Yes?" she asks.

"You're going to be a wonderful admin."

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

"You must find the third orb and control the third of the Weather Trio."

"There's a third one?" Tony asks.

It seems like we've been told something like this before, but we never really new anything important about it until now.

"Yes. Rayquaza," the old man whispers.

"Rayquaza?"

"The Trio Master."

. . .

Inside both Tony's and Alex's bags, the two halves of the Jade Orb begin to twinkle. If only the two of them knew…

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

The two of us walk past a Safari Zone on our way to Lilycove City. Grovyle, Dewott, and Noctowl talk together. The former two walk alongside the flying owl.

"What they said back there…I wonder what we need to do about it? We don't know anything about this third orb," I say.

That's a lie. I have that half in my bag, but I'm not sure if that is what I truly need.

"I guess we'll just have to keep on looking." She pauses. "I think I see Lilycove City up ahead."

We keep on walking through the field. It won't be much longer now…maybe half an hour?

"STOP! STOOOOP!" someone screams from behind us.

An Aqua Grunt trudges over to our location, looks at us, and slumps against a tree.

"We will defeat you," I snap.

"I'm…huff…not here to…huff…battle you," he wheezes.

"Then why are you following us?"

"Since Fortree…I've been behind you to…accompany you on your journey…to save the world."

What? A Team Aqua Grunt that wants to save the world?

"You're not a grunt, are you?" Alex narrows her eyes.

"You saw through the disguise? Fine!"

The grunt takes off the bandana and the jacket and shirt. From his bag, he puts on a long, brown jacket. He has short black hair that spikes out in the front.

"Who are you?" I ask.

"Well, kids. I'll tell you what I _can _say," he recuperates from the run.

"What you _can_ say? Why can't you tell us everything? Who—no! What—are you?" Alex looks at the man in the eyes.

"Well…fine. Hello kids, I'm Agent Looker of the International Police."

...

Guys, sorry for the lack of uploads. Because of school, I'll have to upload once or twice a week now.


	32. Looking in the Wrong Places

**Part 32**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"So you're telling me, " I doubt, "that you're from this 'international police?'"

"Well of course! What would I have to gain by lying to you?"

I contemplate this. What _would _he win?

"I believe him," Alex whispers quietly.

"Oh, good," Looker says.

"So what are you doing here?"

"I have to stop Groudon and Kyogre, too. I mean, I can't just have Team Magma and Team Aqua taking over the world…"

I grab Alex and whisper, "I don't know if we can trust him."

"We have _no _choice. He would have taken us by now anyway," she mutters.

"…Fine."

I look up. "We believe you," I tell him.

"Great. I have something to tell you now, Alex," he stares at her.

"Me?!"

"I've also been sent to investigate your father."

"Did he do something wrong?"

"Not really. He hasn't done _anything. _We can't _find him_!"

"He's _missing?_"

"Sadly, yes."

Alex sits on a rock outside of Lilycove City and cries. A tear trickles down her face, but then a trail begin to pour out and spatter on the grass. Dewott comes to comfort, but her sadness overcomes its sympathy.

"I thought you should know," he says.

"Know what?' I ask.

"That we think—_think_—that it was Team Magma that took him."

Alex jumps up and starts running towards Lilycove City. Dewott tries to chase after her. Looker, Grovyle, and I sprint to catch up.

"What's the big deal?!" I shout.

"I have to find my father. You can come or you can stay and feel bad," she snaps.

. . .

**Steven**

"I'm not helping your filthy attempts to control Groudon! It's disgusting that you would even think of ruining the balance in the world. Do you have any idea what you're getting yourselves into? Your whole life will be a waste once I'm through with you! I'm a former Champion!" Steven growls from the backseat of a car.

"_Former _Champion. Our new one, Wallace, prefers to paint his nails rather than help you. You. Are. Ours. Now, once we get to the hotel in Lilycove, I want you to start working on Groudon's location!" Tabitha yells from the driver's seat.

"I'm not helping you," Steven spits at the back of Tabitha's head.

_Uuuurrrrt!_

Tabitha screeches to a stop and looks back at Steven, wiping his head. "Then we'll just have to experiment with your daughter. If you kn—"

"You pervert!"

"What? I just want to see if your daughter has the strength to defeat Groudon one-on-one. _That _kind of experiment. I'm not sure what you mean…"

"Forget about it, then."

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

Finally, we make it to Lilycove City. Alex came back from the hotel and said it is booked, so the three of us book small rooms in the Pokémon Center. Nurse Joy kindly lets us in; she doesn't tell a soul about anyone's personal affairs.

"I'm going to go investigate the eastern coast of this town," the thirty-five year old man tells us.

"Can I come along?" I ask.

"No. It's much too dangerous right now. You and Alex can stay here and train. Go get a meal or something."

So about half an hour later, I'm comforting Alex with a burger, fries, and privacy. We sit at a picnic table outside and eat with our Pokémon.

"I'm going to the Contest Hall," Alex tells me, gets up, and leaves.

"I'll…go…somewhere," I sigh, heading towards the Lilycove Department Store.

. . .

**Looker**

I investigate the coastline; the sea is calm, the beach is warm, the sky is blue. I hear something in the background, though.

"Waaaiiill!"

Off the coast, there are Wailmer being trained by this trainer. He isn't moving his feet at all—he's been standing there for hours. I go on up to him.

"Nice Wailmer y—" I punch the man in the neck and he falls over. Once quick press of the shoulder and he's unconscious.

"Stupid Aqua Grunts are keeping watch…something is up," I whisper.

I drag the man across the beach and put him against a rock. The Wailmer swim away. They were probably stolen anyway. In the sea, I see a ship going to the rocks. Wait.

"Going to the rocks?" I ask out loud.

The ship has a logo—I know that logo! It's Team Aqua! The ship slips between the large rocks and goes into what I think may be a cave. Time for me to investigate.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

"Hey, Alex," a voice whispers in my ear, bringing a chill down my spine.

I had just signed up for the next contest. We're now in the Coordinator Waiting Room.

"What do you want, Willis?" I growl.

"Just saying hi.." he and his Blaziken walk away. Dewott sticks out its tongue.

"What? A lead on Team Magma at Fortree? I'm on my way!" an Officer Jenny shouts, running outside.

Good. I don't want to get into any more trouble. I'm in the clear now. There are supposed to be 32 contestants. I'm number 17. Time for the appeals round.

"Hello, folks! It's time for the Lilycove Contest! Let's get these appeals on the road! Here are our judges," Vivian Meridian cheers. Her mole looks larger today.

"Mr. Contesta!"

The crowd cheers quietly in the background. He looks mean at them, so they get louder in fear. Mean old man.

"Mr. Sukizo!"

"This contest will be Remarkable!"

The crowd screams really loud for him—nearly twice as loud as Contesta.

"And our very own Nurse Joy!"

The crowd again is loud, but not as loud as Mr. Sukizo. Oh well.

After sixteen contestants had gone, only about eleven have scored over a twenty-five.

"Next is Alex from Rustboro City!"

Noctowl and I enter the field. I whisper to Noctowl the plan, and it nods.

"Noctowl, use Feather Dance!"

The Owl Pokémon gets up into the air and then emits feathers that circle down the ground lightly, like a gentle tornado.

"Now use Confusion!"

Noctowl's eyes glow pink and it then manipulates the feathers to dance around nicely. Noctowl stops and lets the feathers fall to the ground. Everyone claps and we get a respectable 27.4.

We wait to see who makes the top sixteen, but I'm already guaranteed in the top five of them.

…

"Tynamo, use Charge Beam!"

This little white leech lets loose an electric charge, however Blitzle uses Lightningrod to soak up the attack and boost its Special Attack stat.

"Blitzle, you use Charge Beam now!"

Blitzle knocks the Pokémon out with a single blow.

"Nooo!" the girl screams.

"Geodude, use Explosion!"

"Dewott, use Aqua Jet first!"

Dewott slams into Geodude with a very effective attack and knocks it out cold before it has the chance to explode. I make it on to the final eight.

. . .

"Roselia, use Petal Dance on Misdreavus! Buneary, Double Hit Murkrow!"

Roselia showers Misdreavus with a powerful petal attack, but Misdreavus eventually stops the damage by breaking it with Shadow Ball. She hits Roselia for decent damage. Murkrow uses Wing Attack on Roselia after taking a beating from Buneary. Roselia lies unconscious.

"Roselia, return…" I whisper. Now it's serious. I have one Pokémon left versus two powerful ones.

"Buneary, use Jump Kick on Murkrow!"

My fluffy bunny jumps up and kicks Murkrow to the ground. The Pokémon is also out of the game. Once it's recalled, the trainer tells Misdreavus to use Will-o-Wisp.

"Burn it out with Water Pulse!"

Buneary brings water molecules from the air and builds them into an orb, which it thrusts at Misdreavus and both ruins the Will-o-Wisp and confuses Misdreavus. The Pokémon hits itself with a Shadow Ball and faints.

"Misdreavus is unable to battle, so Buneary and Alex win! They will advance to the final four!"

This is kind of easy.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil_

"And I'll buy this, and this, and oh! This!" I shout, grabbing TMs and stashing them like candy.

"Anthony," a familiar voice says.

Looker comes around and gives me a Pokéball.

"What's this?"

"I have to go report in to the International Police, so I'll be gone the rest of the night. If anything—and I mean _anything_—happens while I'm gone, don't hesitate to use my Electrike. You can borrow it if you want," he explains.

"Okay, I will," I nod.

As he leaves, I grab the PokéNav and see that Electrike knows Flamethrower, Electro Ball, and Shock Wave. With one of the TMs I bought, I taught the Pokémon Volt Switch. I take Grovyle out to train with the Pokémon.

'Go, Electrike!"

Outside of a Pokéball comes a green-and-yellow doglike Pokémon with an electrifying appearance.

"Trike!"

"Hi, Electrike. Nice to meet you! Want to train some?"

The Pokémon cocks its head in confusion.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

Willis and I are in the final four, but I don't get to face him yet.

"I'll beat you in the finals," I tell him.

"I'm sure you'll fail," Willis snootily snaps.

. . .

"Houndoom, Blitzle, I choose you!"

"Rhydon, Tangela, come on out," a large man yells.

Houndoom beats Tangela with one Fire Blast. Rhydon is all that is left.

"Earthquake!"

Houndoom jumps up as the Pokémon slams onto the ground, but Blitzle doesn't. The poor zebra takes tons of damage and almost faints in one hit like Tangela.

This Pokémon can beat mine in two turns…Hmm…Houndoom needs a boost, but how?

"Blitzle, use Flame Charge on Houndoom!"

My Blitzle begins running at top speed, flames forming around it. Running into Houndoom, the Pokémon takes the flames and absorbs them into Flash Fire mode.

This Houndoom has a history with Flash Fire, and it's never good. This Fire Blast may fail, but it's my fault for pairing them up with a common weakness shared between the two of them…

"Fire Blast!"

Houndoom opens its mouth and fire begins to form in the shape of a star. It gets larger and larger and larger, eventually getting so big that I have to step back in order to keep my eyebrows.

"Now!"

Houndoom slings the giant red star of fire at Rhydon, knocking both it and Blitzle out. The recoil fire from the attack slams back at Houndoom (yes, there is no recoil with Fire Blast, but with such a blast from a Pokémon, I imagine a repercussion from such a strong blow). Smoke appears on the field, but as it clears, Houndoom sits licking a paw while the other two are unconscious. Poor Blitzle.

"Alex is in the finals! Can she do this, or will she slip up at the very end?"

. . .

Dewott and I wait in the Coordinator Waiting Room. While watching the battle of Willis and this girl, I see her Kirlia hits Blaziken with a Psychic attack and knocks it out…Willis lost.

"This is serious," I whisper, and Dewott agrees.

. . .

"Go, Roselia, Noctowl!"

"Mienfoo, Kirlia, I choose you!"

While my owl and rose seem elegant, her psychic being and ninja look menacing. Sigh, this will be hard.

"Roselia, Petal Dance! Noctowl, Confusion!"

Roselia emits large amounts of petals, but Noctowl controls them with a Psychic-type attack. Noctowl moves the petals to make a spherical force-field around them. As Kirlia and Mienfoo attack, they keep failing.

"Roselia, use Sludge Bomb on Kirlia!"

From behind the green orb, Roselia slings purple sludge at the skirt-wearing Psychic-type. She turns light purple because of the poison ailment she's suffering. Roselia jumps out of the shield while Noctowl keeps it strong for backup.

"Roselia, use Magical Leaf!"

"Hi Jump Kick, Mienfoo!"

As Mienfoo jumps, Roselia dodges the attack. Mienfoo falls and crashes on the ground. The Magical Leaf hits Mienfoo in the back afterward.

"How?!" the girl asks.

"Magical Leaf never misses. It's like…heat seeking missiles," I explain.

"Noctowl, use that Petal Dance!"

Noctowl stops the force-field and picks it up with Confusion. Slinging it, Noctowl makes sure that the mass lands on Kirlia. The Pokémon did not have enough time to teleport. Kirlia faints once the orb of petals hits.

"We have a winner of the Lilycove Contest ribbon!" Vivian screams.

Oh yeah!

. . .

**Looker**

I run over to that cave really quick. I didn't tell Anthony, but I can report in any time. I just want to look in on my own. I get a boat and paddle over there. Once the spotlight that monitors the sea moves on to another location, I go on in. Right as I get in, the light moves over to where I was.

I walk along the sandy beach inside the cave and listen to the voices.

"I'm glad I got upgraded to admin!" a boy cheers.

"Yeah, Sean, your loyalty got you to earn in," Matt tells him.

"You're a great person, Sean. Tony just isn't," Shelly recalls.

(Remember that Looker knows their names because he was an undercover grunt for a while).

I walk closer but my shoe makes a weird sound on the sandy beach. From a couple yards away, Matt turns around.

"Hello?" he whispers.

I sprint away and dive into the ocean.

...

So tired that I couldn't go into detail. Sorry about that! Busy week at school..


	33. Infiltrators

**Part 33**

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

After all the fun, the three of us finally meet back up along the coast of Lilycove City. We finally get to move on.

"Hey, I found something…suspicious today," Looker whispers, looking side-to-side.

"What do you mean by 'suspicious?'" I ask.

"How about a cave with Team Aqua grunts inside?"

…That's suspicious enough for me. I wait a second to think of what to do.

"I have a plan," Alex startles us.

Grovyle and Dewott glance at one another.

. . .

_Lilycove Hotel_

"Find the location of Groudon," Tabitha tells his hostage.

"No."

"I told you, Steven. Find Groudon!"

Steven slumps over his desk after working nonstop for hours. Tabitha pokes at him.

"Wake up! You don't get a break—all you get is…is…work!"

Steven wakes up and groans. He hasn't even shaved in two weeks.

Downstairs, he can hear the manager of the hotel bark at people. All he does is watch TV, but you can hear him shout, "I have Game Freak upstairs! They have the whole building booked!"

If only they knew…

. . .

**Looker**

"I suggest we split up into three directions," Looker tells Tony and Alex.

It took them roughly one hour to get to the cave by boat, so it is still daylight outside.

"I'll go left," Tony says. He and Grovyle go through the dark cave.

"I'll go straight with Dewott, then," Alex tells the International Policeman.

"I'm going right then," he sighs.

The cave is dark and you can hear voices everywhere. Now it's just the matter of hiding yourself long enough. There are grunts around every corner.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

Grovyle and I walk in the silent corridor of the cave. I can hear water dripping from the ceiling. There are Zubat flying everywhere. Everywhere! I decide to send out Cyndaquil so there will be light to keep us moving. It appears that there aren't any grunts here, though, so maybe we're going to the wrong place.

_Bonk! _I smack into the wall. It looks like our route was a dead end. I recall Cyndaquil and just send out Electrike to bond as we walk back. I hope Alex is okay…

. . .

**Looker**

"Golduck, Hydro Pump!"

Looker's blue duck Pokémon spits a torrent of water at a Lombre and knocks it out in one hit.

"Let's go!"

Looker and Golduck put their hands in front of them. Soon enough, they hit the wall that signals a dead end.

"We have to head back. Either Tony or Alex will encounter something…and I have a feeling that I know who," he whispers to Golduck.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

Dewott and I go straight. We keep hearing voices creep closer and closer, so we stay quiet.

"I can't wait to get out of here," I whisper to Dewott.

"Wott?" Dewott's whiskers move as if it senses something.

"What's wrong?"

Dewott walks a few paces in front of me and sees a Vaporeon.

"Vaaap!"it yawns.

Dewott then yawns as well. I watch my Pokémon then fall asleep and begin snoring. I walk over to it.

"Not so fast," a voice whispers as an arm wraps around my mouth. The figure, whose height and strength brings a masculine impression, drags me into the darkness. Soon enough, Vaporeon puts me to sleep as well.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

Grovyle, Electrike, and I head back to the starting point. To our left is now the straight path, while forward is the route Looker took. Soon enough, footsteps can be heard.

"Grovyle, get ready!" I whisper.

My reptilian Pokémon stands alert and is ready to pounce. The footsteps get closer. Soon, it turns to running. I'm about to shout out an attack when all of a sudden..

"Tony! Alex! Are you okay?!" Looker asks once reaching the initial location.

"Alex isn't here…it's just me," I slowly tell him.

"Oh, great! We went the wrong way—Alex is in danger, Tony," Looker warns.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

The three of us sprint down the path Alex had taken. There wasn't a trace of her anywhere. Suddenly, though, we hear a small clatter on the ground.

"_Shh!_" someone snaps.

"Oh, sorry," another whispers.

"Show yourselves," Looker demands.

The dark lights immediately turn on brightly. It takes a few seconds for my eyes to readjust to the light.

"Gro!" Grovyle shrieks.

Once my eyes do clear, I see why Grovyle did that. Standing before us, there are at least a hundred Team Aqua grunts.

"I think…now would be a good time to run," Looker whispers.

"Go, Cyndaquil! Smokescreen!"

"After them!" a grunt squeals.

Cyndaquil comes out and fills the air with smoke. As the grunts are wheezing and coughing, Looker, Cyndaquil, Grovyle, and I run out. I recall Cyndaquil and continue running.

"What about Alex?"

"Well," Looker begins, "we can't just give up on her. Surely they will be moving to the next town."

"What town is that?" I ask.

"…I don't know," Looker sighs.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

The first thing I see when waking up is that I'm tied in some kind of room. Dewott is tied up too, but it's still asleep. I yell out and find that the only person aboard is Matt, the Aqua Admin.

"Hello, Alex!"

He flips a switch and then leaves the control panel of whatever I'm in. Matt walks over. "You're in a submarine bound for Mossdeep City. From there, we will dispose of you as necessary."

Great. I decide that the only thing I can do at this point is to charm Matt into letting me free.

"So, Matt, I was wondering if, oh, I don't know, you might want to…go out on a date sometime?"

_Smack! _Matt scrapes my face with the palm of his hand. So much physical abuse on a girl. Rude. I bite his finger as the slap ends. This causes him to shout out in pain. I hold onto it just as a dog would in tug-of-war. Once he frees his finger, I start laughing.

"You think that you're going to get rid of me? Please! I have a policeman and Tony that are coming to save me," I brag.

"So you think that they can take on every Aqua grunt in the team?"

"All at once?"

"Yup."

"…"

I look around to see that Dewott is cutting the rope with its scalchop. I just have to hope that it will buy enough time to overcome Matt.

"But, you know, if you ever wanted to go out—" he begins.

I spit in his face before the man can even consider the actual thought. It brings a shiver down my spine.

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

"Hello, is this the International Police station? It's Looker. …yes, Looker with two _o_s. What other Looker is there? …Oh, that could be confusing, I see."

Looker and I managed to run out of the base and into the public part of the city, where Team Aqua wouldn't dare do anything.

"…Yes, Lilycove City has a Team Aqua base just off the coast. …We had to run out because we were terribly outnumbered. So can you take over the base?"

Grovyle and I have just been sitting on a few rocks and throwing seashells back into the ocean. Looker's having problems with the I.P.

"…Yes, I'll hold." Looker glances over to me. "These stupid 911 Operators are horrible at their job. I bet that if Arceus died, it would take twenty minutes for someone to realize."

Within about an hour, we see two submarines take off from the base. Another ten minutes later and the police come.

"I hope Alex will be okay, you know? I mean, it's normal for you to worry about someone, but Alex is different. She and I have become such close friends that it's unbearable not knowing if she's even alive right now. I wish I had gone straight instead of her because I can take pain and suffering better. It's just…not fair. Alex has had such a hard life, and now she has to take on Team Aqua all by herself? She'll get herself killed!" I rant.

"Tony…" Looker says.

"She's all alone! We could've just stuck together, but _nooo! _We had to split up to save time. We don't have time, so why bother trying?! It's too hard to be alone, so imagine being alone with creeps!"

"Tony…!" Looker groans.

"We're going to lose Alex because we were too unaware of the dangers of splitting up. I mean, Dewott is awesome, but seriously—it can't repeatedly smash over one hundred Pokémon! What if it doesn't last for more than ten? Houndoom is weak to water-types! Roselia loses to an Ice Beam…Blitzle is ruined by Marshtomp and Noctowl faints to a Thunderbolt! Even Buneary can be easily knocked out. She just won't be able to make it. I'm such a horrible—"

"TONY, JUST **SHUT UP!**" Looker screams at me.

"…Thanks, I needed that," I say sheepishly.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

After hours of being stuck with Matt, I finally am told that we arrived in Mossdeep City. Dewott and I, both still tied up (though Dewott is nearly free), are escorted around a Pokémon Center, around a gym, around a Pokémart—and to the Mossdeep Space Center.

"What are we doing here?" I ask.

The walls are white, the floors are white, the coats are white…everything is white. The only people not in white are the Aqua grunts that took over the building. They glare and whisper at me. Matt and I go up flight after flight of stairs.

"Well, we plan to do something to where we will never have to deal with you again," Matt explains.

"So what could you possibly do?"

"Well, we could send you into space."

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

Looker and I paddle a small boat through the water. We've been floating for hours. Eventually, though, I manage to see a land mass beyond the once endless ocean.

"We have to go faster!" I moan.

"Yes, because I'm eating a snack while I do this," Looker sarcastically murmurs.

. . .

_**Alex: **__Dewott, Houndoom, Roselia, Buneary, Blitzle, Noctowl_

As we are taken through a narrow walkway that extents between the rocket and the building, Dewott grabs its scalchop and waits for my signal. We wait for the right moment—just a few more minutes!

"Alex," a stern voice says from behind me.

"What do you want, Sean?"

"I'm sorry it had to come to this."

I don't look back at him. I don't bother. There isn't a reason to just give into the shame I don't deserve. Dewott and I keep walking until I stop right before entering my doom.

"Dewott, get ready!"

"Watch her! She's a slippery one, you here? This girl can get away with anything if given the opportunity. Be careful of her at all times," Sean warns his comrades.

"Oh, please! Like you didn't enjoy breaking rules and living your _life."_

Sean's footsteps stop after this comment. "I don't appreciate you speaking to me like this," he snaps.

"Well _I _don't appreciate being taken captive just because you hold grudges. I think you'll understand."

"Push her in!"

Three large Aqua grunts come towards me.

"Dewott!"

My otter was grabbed right before it could respond to my dilemma.

"Nice try," Sean smiles, snapping his fingers.

Matt reappears and looks at the scene. "Make sure to check her bag."

Oh no…the half orb!

. . .

_**Tony: **__Grovyle, Corphish, Altaria, Phanpy, Cyndaquil, Electrike_

Looker and I finally reach the shore. Just as we do, though, I see a rocket leave the ground and begin its expedition into space.

"You don't think she's…"

"I wouldn't put it past them," Looker sighs.

The two of us sprint to where the Space Center is located.

So sorry for the lack of uploads, but I've been really sick and just had a couple of exams finished. I'll continue posting since I've outlined up to chapter 37!


End file.
